Milan market, Santiago Gimenez under the knife: speeding up for the arrival of a new center forward

Santiago Gimenez’s already disappointing 2025 ended in the worst possible way. The Mexican striker, tormented by an ankle problem that has been haunting him for months, has decided after the specialist consultation in Amsterdam to raise the white flag: El Bebote will in fact undergo a surgery, which will keep him out for a couple of months. This is decidedly bad news for Massimiliano Allegri, who is short of men in attack and, in fact, has only one role forward, Christopher Nkunku, who in turn is manifesting more than one difficulty since his arrival in the Italian league.

Francesco Lucivero

The Rossoneri management is therefore forced to move in the January market. It is no mystery that evaluations have been underway for weeks to include a new center forward, capable of guaranteeing goals and physical presence, but Gimenez’s absence, combined with the difficulties of the other performers, has made the search for a profile that can give the team breathing space urgent. Among the hypotheses circulating, the most realistic one is linked to Niclas Füllkrug’s landing in the Rossoneri. The 32-year-old German striker, currently at West Ham, is also a concrete option due to the very will of the player, who from the slums of the Premier League would find himself fighting for the Scudetto.

The hypothesized formula is that of a loan, a solution that would allow Milan to reinforce itself without having to invest significant sums of money for the player’s name tag. A pragmatic choice, which would allow to buffer the’emergency and calmly evaluate future moves. Füllkrug’s eventual arrival would give Allegri a credible alternative at a crucial time of the season. The Super Cup and the continuation of the championship require a more incisive attack, and Milan does not want to be left exposed. The situation related to Gimenez, between injuries and underperformance, has made clear the need for action.

Gimenez’s parable in the Rossoneri has been disappointing so far. Having arrived last February for about 30 million euros, he has netted just seven goals, a far cry from the numbers that had anointed him at PSV. Adjusting to Serie A has proved complicated and injury has further stunted his growth.

Max Allegri and sporting director Igli Tare have repeatedly reiterated their confidence in the player, but the reality is that Milan now finds itself without a reliable offensive reference, with the’attack practically all on the shoulders of Christian Pulisic. Time is running out and the market is looming: for Milan, finding a new striker is no longer an option, but a vital necessity.