Feyenoord striker Santiago Giménez needs to avoid potential transfers to the likes of Chelsea and West Ham, and instead remain where he is developing his game.
That’s according to journalist Tim Tempelaars on the VI ZSM podcast, who believes the Mexican would be best served remaining in the Netherlands for the time being.
Giménez is one of the rising stars of European football, having shone for Feyenoord since his arrival from Cruz Azul in a €6m deal in July 2022.
Since that point he’s scored 38 goals and registered six assists in 60 games in total for the Eredivisie side, helping them to secure the title last season and impress in Europe.
This year he has 15 goals and three assists in 15 games in all competitions, to date, with 13 in 12 in the league and two in two in the Champions League.
Those numbers have not gone unnoticed, and he’s regularly been linked with a move to one of the top five European leagues, with several sides in the Premier League thought to be keeping an eye on him.
Numerous reports have already linked Chelsea with a potential move, although they have been dismissed also, while West Ham are believed to be looking at him as they look to add the striker that David Moyes side desperately needs.
Neither move would be the right one for the player, though, at least as far as Tempelaars is concerned.
“Giménez is 22 years-old and plays week in week out. He plays under a trainer who is visibly making him much better,” he said.
“If you compare it with a year ago, he has made giant leaps. Who says that with another year Feyenoord doesn’t make any more giant leaps? He plays the Champions League. So which club do you want to go to to be able to do that?
“If you look at clubs in the current CL where he can play week in, week out. Then you come into the category Benfica, AC Milan. I think that is a step higher. I think Feyenoord can cash in well, could be a solution. I think Serie A is of better quality than the Eredivisie, so I won’t say strange things. In Portugal, certain teams do, some don’t.
“But for example, Lazio, Serie A, should he go to Lazio? Feyenoord has shown that they can be at least equal. Another solution: That you go to a real top competition, Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, to a team that does not play the Champions League.
“But that does play against top teams in the Premier League every week. Then come you leave West Ham, Chelsea? I don’t know if you should want that. Those kinds of options.”