Will Santi Giménez leave Feyenoord this summer? Striker discusses exit plans

Santiago Giménez says a summer move from Feyenoord is part of his career plan, as a host of clubs eye the prolific Mexican striker’s signature.

In an interview published by the Mexican media outlet MVS Noticias this week, Giménez revealed that he joined the Dutch club in July 2022 with the intention of moving on at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Giménez eyeing summer move from Netherlands

“I don’t know [if this will be my last campaign at Feyenoord], because I don’t have anything formal [in terms of offers from other clubs],” the 22-year-old said. “But I think that when we arrived, our aim was to be here for two years and then go to another league.”

Pressed on whether he hopes to secure a transfer to a bigger club during the off-season transfer window, Giménez replied: “Yeah, yeah, but I try to just focus on the present; I try not to rush things or get ahead of myself.

“It’s all slightly driven by the media - they’re in a hurry to find me a new club. But I’m really enjoying the present, I’m really enjoying being here. If my future is elsewhere, I want to round things off in the best way possible.”

Giménez goals lead to interest from top clubs

Since leaving Mexican club Cruz Azul for the Netherlands, Giménez’s scoring form has attracted interest from major teams across Europe.

In an interview with AS in November, Feyenoord’s managing director, Dennis te Kloese, revealed that LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are among clubs from England, Italy and Spain that have sent scouts to watch the Rotterdam side.

Last week, the UK newspaper The Times reported that Premier League club West Ham United are keeping close tabs on Giménez, who has scored 44 goals in 68 appearances for Feyenoord.

Having netted 23 times in his debut season in the Netherlands - a haul that helped Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title since 2017 - he has performed even better this term, scoring 21 goals in 23 games. This tally includes 19 in 17 in the Dutch league.

He notched up his latest strike against NEC Nijmegen on Sunday - but could not prevent Feyenoord from slipping to a 2-2 league draw that left Arne Slot’s men 12 points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.

“I haven’t shown what I can do” - Giménez out to up Mexico return

A Mexico international since 2021, Giménez has failed to reproduce his club scoring form with El Tri, hitting just four goals in 24 senior caps.

“I do feel that I’ve got more to give [Mexico],” he told MVS. “I haven’t shown what I can do and I want to change that. At the end of the day, they’ve given me the chance and I haven’t taken it in the same way as I have at Feyenoord.

“But the fixtures coming up in March [at the CONCACAF Nations League finals] and [in June and July] at the Copa América will hopefully be a massive opportunity that I can make the most of.”