Gimenez hype 'exaggerated' amid Chelsea and Real Madrid links

Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk

14 Nov 2023 03:34 CST
3 min read

Former Eredivisie star Kenneth Perez thinks the 'hype' around Santiago Giménez is exaggerated as the striker continues to be linked with the likes of Atletico and Real Madrid, as well as Premier League sides like Chelsea and Tottenham.

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According to the pundit, the media are making it 'too easy' for themselves by saying that the Feyenoord striker will transfer for a large fee in the future. After 15 goals in the first 15 official matches of the season, the Mexican international has now failed to score in four matches in a row.

Journalist Willem Vissers nevertheless believes Giménez has a bright future. “With Giménez, of course, everyone wondered: where is this going to end? He is of course an interesting player and you would say: he will one day play for Atlético Madrid or higher," Vissers inisted on Voetbalpraat on Dutch ESPN on Monday.

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“He has now not scored for a few games in a row. I was also in Rome for the [1-0 loss] against Lazio. He wasn't really dangerous there, apart from one or two balls. I think it is also good for him to have a period in which he does not score so easily.”

What did Perez say?

However, Perez was perplexed by the nonchalance with which Vissers claimed that Giménez would eventually rock up at an elite club. “Why is it so easy to say that he will end up at Atlético and those kinds of clubs? He is not even the first-choice striker for Mexico."

"People just assume that he should bring in €50 or €60 million and that he will end up at Atlético. It is all too convenient to simply say that Mexico's second-choice striker will play football for Atlético for €50m-€60m.”

“I find it quite striking that such statements are made so readily. I see a good striker who has developed fantastically,” continued the ESPN analyst. “In any case, he showed it against Lazio in the Champions League."

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"He is now in a bad period and you can also see what his bottom level is. We have seen the top level. We can probably then conclude that his actual level is somewhere between that top level and his bottom level.”

“Well, then I find it very gratuitous to say that, based on that average level, he will go to Atlético for €60m,” Perez concluded.