Leeds United in the hunt to sign a 93-goal striker after a stated offer and emerging links to a Scotland star
Leeds United face a challenging mission to persuade Santiago Gimenez to leave AC Milan, despite a revealing admission from his father. Intermediaries are reportedly exploring a pathway to bring the prolific forward to the Premier League, with interest from Leeds and West Ham noted.
Gimenez built a standout reputation as a top-tier goal scorer under Arne Slot at Feyenoord, where he tallied 65 goals in 105 appearances. This form earned him a high-profile move to AC Milan in February 2025 for a €32 million fee (about £28 million, $37.5 million), with a contract running until 2029.
However, the transfer hasn’t delivered the hoped-for impact in Italy, producing just seven goals in 30 appearances so far. In light of this, and sensing that a fresh environment might benefit all parties, sources told TEAMtalk last week that intermediaries representing the striker have approached potential Premier League clubs, with Leeds and West Ham named among the possibilities.
At present, the intermediaries are testing the waters in England to gauge interest, though Gimenez’s camp has pushed back on the idea of an imminent departure.
AC Milan, for their part, are reportedly exploring attacking upgrades, with Parma’s Mateo Pellegrino and Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee among the names on their shortlist.
Nevertheless, Gimenez’s father has begun to walk back claims that a transfer could be on the horizon.
“Santi holds deep affection for Milan, and he is living a dream,” he said on the Vamos Show podcast on YouTube. “There are photos of Santi at six and nine wearing Milan jerseys. I still have a Milan jacket he wore at age 10 at home. Santi wants to stay at Milan. This is a big club where he must perform at the highest level. He’s very happy here. We had several proposals from Saudi Arabia and more, but when Milan arrived, he made it clear he only wanted to be here.”
For the latest inside information, join the TEAMtalk Facebook channel to receive breaking updates directly in Messenger.
Leeds’ January ambitions: strengthening the attack
While pursuing Gimenez remains an ambitious target, Leeds are actively seeking reinforcements to bolster their forward line in January. The club is also eyeing a creative option who can operate as a No. 10 or on the right flank, in addition to a central striker, following summer attempts that fell short on both Facundo Buonanotte and Harry Wilson.
There is some financial flexibility ahead of January, despite comments from managing director Robbie Evans after the summer window suggesting that substantial spending was unlikely.
The Daily Mail also reports Leeds are exploring a move for rising Scottish talent Josh Mulligan, who has earned his first Scotland call-up after a string of impressive displays for Hibernian. Mulligan, 23, joined Hibs in June on a four-year deal, and scouts from Leeds and Nottingham Forest have been monitoring him amid his standout form.
According to well-connected journalist Simon Jones, Leeds and Forest have discussed Mulligan with Edinburgh to assess what they might need to spend.
Fraser Fletcher, a Scotland-based transfer correspondent, confirms Leeds’ genuine interest. Mulligan recently joined Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad as an unused substitute in their match against Belarus, and a big-money move could propel him into contention for next summer’s World Cup-style tournament in the United States.
Latest Leeds news: Román’s links to a Como star are unlikely to bear fruit
Meanwhile, Leeds face disappointment in their pursuit of a top Como striker after Fabrizio Romano explained why the move is unlikely to materialize, forcing Farke to consider alternatives.
There are also reports of Leeds showing interest in a powerful 6 ft 5 in Canadian striker who recently found the net in the Champions League, though sources say West Ham appear to be ahead in that race.
Manager Daniel Farke, after a strong week at Elland Road that included a win over Chelsea and a draw with Liverpool, has stated that he is not fighting for his job and continues to enjoy board support.
Looking ahead, Leeds will aim to build on their recent results as they prepare for a crucial clash with Brentford in the upcoming Super Sunday showcase.
Would you support Leeds’ aggressive January recruitment plan, or do you think scouring for a long-term, high-potential prospect like Mulligan is the smarter route? Share your thoughts in the comments.
