Arsenal are monitoring the situation of Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez as Mikel Arteta tries to bolster his attacking department this summer.
Despite scoring a club-record 91 Premier League goals last season, Arteta is keen to add another front man to his squad. Kai Havertz ended the season as the No.9, scoring nine goals and five assists in his final 14 games. It came following the slump in form from both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
The Gunners are set to dip into the market for a new centre forward, but will not panic. Benjamin Sesko is no longer an option after he committed his future to RB Leipzig, while Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee, Lille’s Jonathan David, Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Brentford’s Ivan Toney are among the others linked.
Another name in the frame is Gimenez. According to the Evening Standard, the Gunners have been scouting the Mexican, who impressed under new Liverpool boss Arne Slot for Feyenoord last season. He scored 28 goals and grabbed eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.
Gimenez, 23, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, started his professional career at Mexican side Cruz Azul and spent a number of years in the first-team before moving over to Europe with Feyenoord in July 2022. He signed a four-year contract and instantly became their main man up front.
With 23 goals and three assists in 45 appearances in his debut campaign, eyes across Europe were already being drawn to Gimenez. Alongside this, Gimenez scored the winner for Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Panama. Despite being born in Argentina, Gimenez decided to represent Mexico at international level after becoming a Mexican citizen, moving over to the nation when he was two-years-old.
Gimenez is now attracting interest from some of the best in Europe, with Arsenal keen. Standing at 6ft, he is not among the tallest elite strikers in Europe but does boast strength and natural upper physical strength – something the Gunners currently lack with Jesus, Nketiah and Havertz.
That often allows him to compete well in duels and dominate the smaller centre-backs. Gimenez is excellent with his back to goal and can hold off challenges with his physical power and nous at knowing when a defender is coming in to challenge him. This would especially be important with the way Arsenal play.
Last season, Gimenez scored a couple of goals that displayed his strength with his back to goal. He is excellent at pinning a defender down before turning sharply and finishing. That is something ex-Arsenal, Manchester United and Feyenoord forward Robin van Persie used to be especially excellent at.
As well as this, Gimenez is not just a classic target man. He has a good burst of acceleration that allows him to get up to speed fast and make darts off the shoulder and in behind. Gimenez is also superb at pouncing on loose balls, sensing danger and leading a press, whether that be from a defensive or offensive point of view.
Most importantly, Gimenez is an elite finisher. He recorded a shot conversation rate of 25.29 per cent throughout last season, while also posting more goals (23) than he was expected to score via xG (21.25). That is the sign of a top player and Arsenal could do no wrong looking at someone like him.
Gimenez would not be cheap, however. He has three years on his contract and is valued at around £45m. Whether the Gunners have that amount of money to spend remains to be seen, though they are trying to raise funds with the potential sales of other players in the squad.
