Santiago Gimenez has admitted holding a conversation with Luka Jovic about him potentially joining the Mexican’s former club.
Jovic has departed on a free transfer after his contract with Milan expired, and one of the clubs he has been repeatedly and surprisingly linked with is Cruz Azul. It is the side that Gimenez came through the academy at, joining in 2014 and leaving for Feyenoord in 2022, so he knows it well.
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During an interview with TUDN, the current Milan No.7 revealed that Jovic spoke to him in recent months about Cruz Azul, presumable having learned of their interest in signing them.
“It was funny – back in April, he showed me messages from Iván Alonso. He told me, ‘Look who’s been writing to me every day,’ and showed me that Alonso was sending him videos of Cruz Azul,” he said (via Goal).
“He asked me what the club was like, and of course, I only had good things to say. They treated me amazingly there. I’ll always be a fan.
“We played together for six months, and he’s a killer in front of goal. He can hold up the ball, finish chances – he’s going to do really well. Cruz Azul already has a strong attack, and with him, the competition will get even tougher.”
Gimenez scored 20 goals in 88 league appearances before heading to Europe. Jovic meanwhile netted 13 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions for the Rossoneri, and it remains to be seen if he will head to Mexico.
If the point is to trim the squad then it’s understandable to let Jovic go but according to the media, they’re still looking for a striker. I can’t wrap my head around it. Even a €20m striker plus the contract and agent fee would still cost more than keeping Jovic. I just don’t know honestly. I mean towards the end of last season we saw that Jovic isn’t just a box player: he also has good hold up play and is able to take on a pseudo-playmaker role. But when you leave your ex, you just can’t get over the obsession of getting back together with them (analogous to Vlahovic).
I wish they kept Jovic and sent Gimenez back to Cruz Azul. What a mistaka they make-a!!! Jovic is so much better player then any one of AC Milan forwards in the last several years, except Ibra. The forwards we have will never ever even be considered to play for Real Madrid, yet our ‘smart’ coaches gave a chance to Camarda and kept Jovic on the bench. Camarda scored zero goals and was praised like a future prodigy, a Van Basten of AC Milan in 2020’s. Jovic was brutally put down by everyone, coaches, media and even management. Yet, he waited for his chance and used it pretty well, started to play well, score important goals. But again, one game without scoring and everyone jumped on him like it’s is fault. It’s unbeliavable how much support some players had and how many chances to play they got, and how littl support Jovic had and how little he played for club. And he stilled performed better then most of them. This is insane. Sorry Luka, this ACM sucks heavilly!!! Hope you find a great european club and destroy AC Milan with poker of goals next time we meet each other!!!