It’s not often your star striker feels the need to apologise to the supporters on the back of a thumping, history-making 6-0 win. Then again, it’s not often your team wins 6-0 without your star striker getting on the scoresheet.
It’s certainly been a difficult 2024 for the Manchester United-linked centre-forward, and this rather summed it up.
“History in De Kuip! Thanks for the support,” Santiago Gimenez writes on X. “I know you expect goals from me, and I have disappointed you lately. I can only tell you that I am in love with the club and will always fight when I wear this shirt.”
There was certainly no shortage of ‘fight’ from Gimenez on Sunday, Feyenoord smashing crisis-hit Der Klassiker rivalsAjax for six and consigning Erik ten Hag’s old employers to their heaviest ever Eredivisie defeat.
Manchester United linked with Santiago Gimenez
There were two goals apiece from Igor Paixao and the Newcastle loanee Yankuba Minteh. One for Quinten Timber and David Hancko. The closest Gimenez got, however, was a rather wild overhead kick which Hancko flicked past a besieged Diant Ramaj on the stroke of half-time.
According to Gimenez’s agent, the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid showed an interest back in 2023. Man United have also been floated as a potential destination with the centre-forward spot one of four key areas the Red Devils are looking to strengthen.
For former Ajax coach Aad de Mos, however, the sight of Gimenez drawing a blank even as his side ran out 6-0 winners is proof that this is a B-list player destined to fall short of those A-list clubs.
“He is not a player who can play at United or City,” De Mos tells ESPN, feeling that Wout Weghorst’s Hoffenheim may be the height of Gimenez’s journey.
“Everyone thinks that (he is good enough for Man United or Man City). But that is of course not the case. Txiki Begiristain (City’s technical director) sometimes calls me. He does not come up with this name.
“Put Weghorst at Feyenoord and he will score just as many goals.”
READ MORE: Manchester United transfer history 2013 to present day
‘Not a player who can play at United’
The £40 million-rated Gimenez hit 23 goals last season and still has 24 to his name this. Only three of those, however, have come in last 15 games in league and cup.
And Dutch icon Rafael van der Vaart is concerned that Feyenoord may find themselves in another Nicolai Jorgensen-style situation. Feyenoord turned down big-money bids – including from Newcastle – after Jorgensen fired them to the Eredivisie title in 2017.
Now a free-agent at the age of 33, the Dane would eventually leave De Kuip for Kasimpasa having not hit those same heights again.
“It’s not going well for (Gimenez) ,” Van der Vaart says of the misfiring Mexican.
“I hope he gets over it quickly, because otherwise you will end up with a Jorgensen story. Ultimately, you want to sell Gimenez for a lot of money.
“If scouts are now in the stadium… You win 6-0, but the striker is playing poorly. That’s not good.”