There is a start of agreement on the hiring. But the Dutch club values the tip at 40 million and doesn’t want to deprive him mid-season. The Ibra factor can decide
Between Santiago Gimenez and Milan there is… Feyenoord. The Dutch club, in fact, continues to block the departure of the Mexican center forward in the January transfer window. In recent days the Rossoneri have made a first formal offer of just under 30 million euros (including bonuses) for the attacker, receiving a firm no from Denis te Kloese, technical director of the Rotterdam club. Milan, however, is strong in an agreement already found in principle with Gimenez and the agent Rafaela Pimenta, Mino Raiola’s former right-hand man, for a contract until 2028 with an option for another year.
The previous one
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The Mexican striker, but also with an Italian passport guaranteed by his family’s origins, wants to move to Milan at all costs and is pushing with his current team to get the green light, also because he had already been courted (in vain) in the summer by the Rossoneri. In vain and suddenly: Milan tried on the last day of the transfer window, with a surprise offer revealed by Gimenez himself in October, during an interview with ESPN. The salary, at least that, would not be a problem. Santiago earns around 900 thousand euros per season at Feyenoord, while Milan would offer him a salary above 2 million per championship. Perfectly in line with the club’s budget policy and the salaries of the most important players in the squad.
Bayern factor
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At the moment Feyenoord isn’t making it a mere question of money, but rather a technical fact. The Dutch have valued Gimenez at 40 million in recent months and in recent weeks have ensured that they do not want to lose the leading element of the squad in the middle of the season. Even more so after the brace against Bayern in the Champions League on Wednesday evening (and the first goal was really nice…). There’s more. Feyenoord are in a complex moment of their season, they have scored a point in their last three Eredivisie matches and must chase a place in the next Champions League: at the moment, they would be out. The relationship between fans and the club is delicate and selling the team’s symbol player… wouldn’t help. Also for this reason, in Rotterdam, for now everyone is saying “no, thanks”.
Ibra tries
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In football, however, money can change anyone’s mind. Maybe even to a tough nut like Te Kloese, who Zlatan Ibrahimovic knows well. The two met at the Los Angeles Galaxy, when the Dutch manager had just been appointed general manager and Ibra was already the star of the team. It was Te Kloese who satisfied Zlatan in 2020, when he left America to return to Milan. A curious short circuit of destinies, which recurs five years later. Who knows, maybe the Swede might try to convince him this time too with Gimenez. Of course, the feeling is that the Rossoneri’s offer must still rise, also to ensure that it is the player who demands the transfer most forcefully, according to a typical mechanism of the transfer market: a player can influence a transfer when the distance between demand and offer is small, certainly not exceeding 10 million.
Over 20 million
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However, Milan is ready to make a significant economic effort, beyond what will be done in the exit market. To be clear: we have already gone and will inevitably go well beyond the 20 million ceiling of the last market sessions. The Rossoneri transfer men have identified Gimenez as the right striker to bring the team the goals that Conceiçao is missing and that Fonseca had previously lacked. It’s a different story if we don’t manage to get to the Mexican striker. The market, in January, does not offer another number 9 of international standing.
The (difficult) alternatives
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So what would happen if Feyenoord closed the door once and for all? At that point, Milan, barring any surprises, would remain vigilant on the market, especially on the loan market. Sergio Conceiçao really likes Chelsea’s João Félix – it’s the manager’s idea, rather than the club’s – but he has to deal with Chelsea and his slots for temporary transfers out of England: at the moment, a loan wouldn’t be possible. Manchester United’s Hojlund, if a centre-forward were to arrive at the Red Devils, would become a real option. Much will also depend on the transfers in attack: Noah Okafor and Samuel Chukwueze have admirers abroad, but Bologna is also interested in them. For Luka Jovic, now on the sidelines, Monza remains the most viable option. The great sprint of January, for all of them, he will say. Maybe even with… extra time in February.
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