By OkayGoal 
Santiago Giménez is open to leaving AC Milan after the World Cup and Tottenham have emerged as a surprise destination for the 25-year-old Mexican striker, with Mexican outlet TUDN reporting that a move to north London would represent a significant change in career direction for a player who turned down the Premier League once before to choose Serie A.
Giménez rejected Nottingham Forest to join Milan from Feyenoord in January 2025 for €32m, arriving with an outstanding record in the Eredivisie and the expectation of becoming a key figure at San Siro. What followed has been one of the more disappointing debut spells of recent seasons in Italian football.
He scored six goals and contributed three assists in the second half of 2024-25 after joining, a respectable if unspectacular start. This season brought zero Serie A goals, one Coppa Italia strike against Lecce in September and three assists from 18 appearances before a November ankle injury ended any remaining hope of a productive campaign.
Why Santiago Giménez to Tottenham could work for both parties
TUDN analyst David Faitelson highlighted reporting from journalist Tito Villa confirming that Giménez is looking to leave the San Siro after the World Cup and that Tottenham are among the clubs attracting his interest from the Premier League. Villa’s framing, that the move would represent a “significant change” in his career, acknowledges the unconventional nature of the link without dismissing it.
Both club and player have something to prove after difficult seasons. Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation under Roberto De Zerbi and need to sign a reliable goal threat at the top of the attack. Giménez, once considered one of the most deadly finishers in European football based on his Feyenoord performances, needs a reset in an environment where he can rediscover his form and confidence after injury and poor output conspired to derail his Italian adventure.
The De Zerbi factor is relevant here. The Italian has a demonstrable track record of rebuilding confidence in forwards who have struggled, as Randal Kolo Muani’s revival at Tottenham this season briefly illustrated. A striker who flourished in a high-pressing, direct system at Feyenoord finding a manager who builds exactly those conditions at his next club is not a coincidental fit.
What the structure of any deal would look like
AC Milan are under no illusions about recovering the full €32m they invested in Giménez. Transfermarkt’s current valuation of €20m reflects the scale of the drop in perceived value after a season of injury and underperformance, and Milan’s own internal assessment is expected to be similar.
A loan with an option to buy is considered the most likely structure, giving both clubs a trial period before committing to a permanent fee. That model suits Tottenham’s financial position, allows Giménez to demonstrate his form and fitness in the Premier League environment, and gives Milan a way to recover some value on a player who would otherwise sit on their wage bill through another season of uncertain status.
Giménez heads to the World Cup with Mexico as his immediate focus, with the tournament hosted on home soil adding personal significance to what will be a high-profile summer. His performances there will shape both his market value and his own thinking about where he wants to go next. Tottenham are in the conversation. Whether they stay there when the window opens depends on what the next few weeks produce.
