GdS: Why Allegri has been left pleased by the first impressions from Gimenez

Despite AC Milan’s continued search for a striker, Massimiliano Allegri is reportedly impressed by what he has seen from Santiago Gimenez.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the signals sent out in the first week of ‘cohabitation’ with Allegri were unmistakable: Gimenez arrived at Milanello in excellent shape and made a great impression on the new coach.

This was not only due to his fitness test results, but also his willingness to work, his movement with and without the ball, and his understanding of Max’s demands. The Mexican also scored in Saturday’s friendly against Leeds, which is a good way to hit the ground running.

AC Milan have not stopped searching for another striker, and one will surely arrive by the end of the transfer window to complete the attack. However, anyone who thought Santi would be a ‘permanent’ substitute may have miscalculated.

Redemption mission

Gimenez knows full well that the first few months of his Milan adventure haven’t been what he expected. His six goals in 19 appearances aren’t a good result for a player who started strong and then suddenly stalled, even ending up on the bench under Sergio Conceicao.

Santi trained extensively between June and July because he was with the national team at the Gold Cup, which they won, although he didn’t play a starring role. The three-week vacation didn’t dampen his spirits, as he showed up at Milanello on Tuesday fired up, ready to almost start from scratch.

He wants to fight for a starting spot and is giving it his all, which Allegri and his staff have noticed him. Until a few days ago, they only knew him from what they’d seen on film, first with Feyenoord and then with Milan. The impression he made on the pitch, however, was even better.

Santiago, for his part, seems to have a different side and even greater self-confidence, writing on Instagram: “This season will be special. Forza Milan!” After scoring against Leeds, he revealed hopes for an increasingly competitive Milan to aim high.

What does that entail? “I dream of the Scudetto,” he admitted to Sky, “but to win it you have to work day after day. So no promises, but Milan is always looking high.”