The forward is still sidelined with an injury, and he’s unlikely to get a chance when he returns

The question is legitimate: Will we ever see Santi Gimenez in a Rossoneri jersey again? In training, yes, for sure: the forward is training separately to recover from his left ankle injury and is regularly attending Milanello, even though the timeline for his return to the team (initially estimated for the derby) remains uncertain. He won’t be available tomorrow in the Coppa Italia rematch against Lazio, and it’s unlikely he’ll join the team on Monday for the late game in Turin. His personalized training sessions are scheduled to continue at least through the end of the week; this will be followed by his return to the group and a phase of high-intensity training. Meanwhile, December is winding down and giving way to January, which in turn will open the doors to the winter transfer window. Gimenez could find himself at the center of a new wave of transfer talks.

The atmosphere is typical of what precedes such scenarios: rumors—whether true or alleged—and news items intercepted or deliberately circulated suggest interest from Premier League teams. In particular, West Ham and Sunderland are reportedly ready to make a move; however, the club has not yet received any official offers. In an interview with ESPN, Pimenta downplayed the possibility of Santi moving to another city: “If the Premier League wants him, it doesn’t surprise me. Whether there are one, two, or three interested clubs seems normal to me, but the idea that he’ll leave Milan is out of the question. All the facts, messages, and words I’ve received from Milan have always been positive. There hasn’t been a single moment when Milan told me that something was wrong. Whenever the press gets carried away, I call Milan, and Milan always replies: ‘No, we’re fine, everything’s okay, thank you.’” Gimenez had decided not to look elsewhere this summer, even though Milan and Allegri didn’t offer him any guarantees about a starting role: Santi had preferred to give himself more time with the Rossoneri to try to finally make his mark. Today, however, the situation is different and well-established: Leao is the designated center forward, Pulisic is the de facto goal-scorer, with Nkunku as the first alternative to the starting duo. The issue is essentially tactical: Max wants players who deprive opponents of reference points; he intends to exploit speed on the counterattack rather than physicality in the box and the holding-up play of a traditional striker. That’s why Gimenez is having second thoughts: at Milan, he risks finding limited space.

goal—  This is the opposite of what Santi needs to try to make a comeback: guarantees of playing time and a massive dose of confidence. Allegri has always spoken kindly and gratefully of the commitment the striker has shown on the field: at the beginning, finding himself unexpectedly in the starting lineup due to injuries to Leao first and then Pulisic, Gimenez put in generous and solid performances. But then, simply contributing to the team was no longer deemed sufficient: it’s legitimate to expect goals from center forwards, and Santi—aside from a goal against Lecce in the Coppa Italia—never delivered in nine league matches and 627 minutes on the field.
Times—  Then came the ankle injury that forced him to be substituted after 62 minutes of the Atalanta-Milan match on October 28, 2025. Santi himself had wanted to make this issue known to the Milan fanbase—and beyond—through his Instagram profile (“For several months now, I’ve been playing with an ankle injury that hasn’t allowed me to be 100% or to feel comfortable on the field. I’ve kept helping the team with determination and continued to play, but the pain has worsened; the time has come to stop. I hope to return as soon as possible”). This was his way of highlighting how his physical condition might have contributed to his decline in performance. Despite the pain, Gimenez had given his all for the team—a dedication recognized not only by the coach but by the fans themselves. And even when the goal in front of him seemed to shrink, the San Siro crowd—or the Rossoneri supporters on the road—never held it against him. But the times for cheering have changed as well: with the team unexpectedly at the top of the standings and free to dream big, no one can afford lackluster performances. For Gimenez, the pressure would increase while his playing time, conversely, would decrease. An uncomfortable situation. That’s why the forward seems to have shifted his perspective and is now willing to look around. And the club will do the same: evaluating potential offers for Gimenez is in the club’s best interest, following the January 2025 investment of 28.5 million plus bonuses. Back when the signings of Santi from Feyenoord and Joao Felix from Chelsea had fueled dreams of a Champions League comeback—dreams that were later dashed—a potential sale could now be reinvested in players who are more functional and better suited to the coach’s requirements. Milan is considering it; January is just around the corner.