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Santiago Gimenez has plenty of options to leave AC Milan before the window closed, his father has confirmed, but he got his wish to remain.
Towards the end of the mercato, rumours were swirling about the possibility of a move to Roma for Gimenez in a swap deal involving Artem Dovbyk. However, the operation ran into complications and was shelved before the gong sounded.
There was even some talk of Chelsea coming in for the Mexican, though this was denied by more reputable sources. In the end Gimenez remained with the Rossoneri, and reports speak of a desire to repay the January investment of over €30m.
Allegri said no
According to Christian Gimenez – Santi’s father and a contributor to Fox Sports Mexico – the striker had several options if he decided to take a turn in his career, with proposals coming from the Premier League, Saudi Arabia and Serie A.
“Chelsea was not interested, from England , there were more options, from Arabia, from Italy too, openly Johan [Vásquez, Genoa centre-back] I think spoke with Santi,” he noted.
Although Milan sporting director Igli Tare publicly spoke of the possibility of exchanging Gimenez for Dovbyk, his father indicated that the board and coach Massimiliano Allegri ultimately put the brakes on the deal, asking him to stay.
“The move didn’t happen because both the sporting director, the president, and the coach said no. Santi started 12 games, scored six goals, and provided four assists, which are good numbers.”
Christian Gimenez was also interviewed by ClaroSports, a Mexican media outlet, and he gave even more background on exactly what happened. His comments were relayed by MilanNews.
Is it true Santi could have left?
“At first, we heard a lot of things. Then, on Friday, when Santiago started, we heard the statements of Milan’s sporting director, and we began to understand what was really going on. We didn’t know what was going on: he was a starter, but they wanted to sell him.
“The truth is, it was all very confusing. It’s very rare for a sporting director to make those statements. Santi’s agent has always been in contact with the club. The club had the opportunity to make that swap, but Santi was never consulted on the situation.
“There were rumors, but the reality is that Gimenez is a Milan player, he has a contract, and on Monday morning, all parties met: the president, the sporting director, and advisors like Ibrahimovic, who played a key role, decided that Santi would stay. They insisted on that exchange, but it was never confirmed.”
How have the last few days been?
“I was really sick. It was a bad night. I didn’t sleep, I was always up to date with what was happening and in constant communication with the club. After hearing the words of the Milan sporting director, it was difficult.
“The transfer window was closing, so I had to be aware of what was happening. It was all very strange. We didn’t have time to understand if it was true that the club wouldn’t consider him for the league. It’s the year of the World Cup, and if Santi hadn’t had the chance to fight for a starting spot, it would have been complicated and complex.
“But in the end, we made a good decision. I don’t know if they made it afterwards or if they were already aware of it. We’re happy that Santi is still at Milan. At a certain point, they doubted his abilities and his two characteristics because both the coach and the sporting director are newcomers. They’ll get to know him from coaching him and working with him.
“Tare and Allegri spoke with Santiago. It all seemed strange to me because he started two out of three games and a friendly. Now there’s some peace with the national team, then He’ll return to Milan and we’ll see what happens. I think all this will help bring out the beast inside him.”
What will happen now?
“It depends on Santi. But I’ve explained what he’s going through. In Milan’s sporting and business model, they just invested $40m in a player who, after four months, is on loan. It doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t know if it happened or not, but it was discussed that way.
“In the end, it all depends on him. I know Santi is at a club he loves and wants to be at, and if he’s not there, his life isn’t over. The truth is, he’s very happy at Milan. It cost him to get there; it took him a while to get there.
“Ten players have left since June, including some very important players, but I have great confidence that he’ll have a great season.”
How did Santi react to this situation?
“We need to stay calm. What happened should strengthen him, it should touch Santi’s pride after all this. Milan is an important club and demands a lot from you. He has given us a lot of peace of mind: he taught us how to behave at his age, keeping our nerves calm, managing our emotions.
“A footballer’s career is short, and I believe he has a lot of room for growth. I’m reassured not only by what I see on the pitch, but also by what I see off it. It will all depend on Santi. Ultimately, I think it depends on where he wants to go. He’s at a club he loves, but if he leaves, life isn’t over.
Now there’s the national team…
“I think Santi has the opportunity to learn a lot from Raúl Jimenez today. He has room for improvement with the national team. Raúl is at an impressive level, and I think the forwards who leave should learn from him.”
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