SANTI GIMÉNEZ
No January bids so far for Santi Giménez, Feyenoord chief tells AS
Feyenoord managing director Dennis te Kloese says the Dutch champions are eager to keep hold of the striker until at least the end of the season.
Feyenoord’s managing director says the club are yet to receive any formal approaches over the January sale of Santi Giménez, with the Dutchmen keen to keep hold of the Mexico striker until at least summer 2024.
“We don’t have any firm offers on the table for Santi,” Dennis te Kloese told an interview with AS.
On-fire Feyenoord ace linked with major move
Giménez has shone for Feyenoord since joining from Liga MX’s Cruz Azul in July 2022, racking up 38 goals in 58 appearances for the Rotterdam club.
The 22-year-old’s prolific scoring form - which helped Feyenoord to their 16th Dutch league title last season - has sparked talk of interest from a host of major European teams, including Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Te Kloese acknowledged to AS that Madrid and Barça are among clubs from England, Italy and Spain that have sent scouts to watch Feyenoord games.
However, he stressed that Giménez is not the only player at the club who is being tracked by big-name suitors, adding that it is not unusual for representatives of top clubs to be at Eredivisie matches, given that the Dutch top flight is a significant source of talent for other European leagues.
“Sky’s the limit” for Giménez
Te Kloese, who has previously worked as a director in the Mexico set-up, says the speed of Giménez’s adaptation to European soccer has outstripped expectations.
“He’s a very dedicated player,” the 49-year-old noted. “His development has been ahead of schedule; it’s been surprising. He has settled in very quickly - we’re extremely happy with Santi. The sky’s the limit for him.”
No Giménez release clause at Feyenoord
During his conversation with AS, Te Kloese also moved to deny claims that Giménez has a €40 million ($42 million) buy-out clause in his Feyenoord contract, which is due to run until June 2027.
No player in the club’s squad has such a release figure, he explains: all transfer fees must be negotiated with potential buyers.
If Giménez sustains his current rate of progression, Te Kloese adds, he is well placed to break Feyenoord’s outgoing transfer record.
The club’s biggest sale to date was Orkun Kökçü's summer move to Portuguese side Benfica, in a deal worth a reported €30 million ($32 million).