After a difficult season marked by injuries and a disappointing World Cup, Santiago Giménez finds himself at the centre of transfer speculation that could reshape his future. The Mexican striker, currently in rehabilitation at Milanello, is reportedly being tracked by two clubs — one Italian, one Portuguese.
Gattuso’s Lazio Want Giménez
The Italian side on the trail of the Rossoneri striker is Lazio. The Biancocelesti manager Gennaro Gattuso — himself a legendary figure in Milan’s history as a player — is said to have held talks with the club’s ownership to accelerate the pursuit. The former midfielder and 2006 World Cup winner with Italy sees Giménez as the ideal profile to bolster Lazio’s attacking options, and is reportedly pushing hard for the club to table a concrete offer.
The central sticking point, however, remains financial. Milan will not go below €20–21 million, a figure considered the minimum threshold to avoid a capital loss on the books, given the investment made to bring the Mexican to Milan in the January 2025 window. A valuation that also factors in the player’s potential, despite an inconsistent showing over the past campaign.
Porto Are Watching, But Haven’t Made a Move
On the other side of Europe, Porto are also keeping a close eye. Manager Francesco Farioli is said to have added Giménez to his list of strikers to monitor for several weeks now, but no concrete move has yet been made. Like Lazio, the Portuguese club is carefully assessing the player’s physical condition before deciding whether to proceed with a formal proposal.
A Tough Year: The Weight of Injuries
The context surrounding Santiago Giménez‘s situation is far from straightforward. The striker, born in 2001, endured a gruelling 2025/26 season: after a promising start following his arrival in Italy, an ankle operation kept him sidelined for several months. On his return, his minutes remained limited, with few league goals to his name. Even during the World Cup, the Mexican forward saw little playing time with his national team — a disappointment that weighed heavily on him both technically and mentally.
This difficult journey has weakened his market position compared to what might have been expected at the time of his signing, and may explain why both Lazio and Porto are biding their time before submitting a definitive offer.
Milan’s Transfer Market Remains Stalled: An Acceleration Is Needed
The overall picture of AC Milan’s transfer market remains broadly gridlocked, both in terms of arrivals and departures. The squad is sizeable, and the club needs to trim numbers in order to operate with greater freedom on the buying front. The situations of Giménez and Leão are probably the most active at present, but without concrete movement in the coming weeks, there is a real risk that the summer window will close with little meaningful business done.
The sense is that a decisive push is needed: AC Milan has the potential to build an even more competitive squad, but to do so they must first unlock the outgoings. The signals are there, the will is there — now the words need to be turned into concrete deals.
