According to reports from earlier in October, Eintracht Frankfurt are among the clubs that have been linked with Feyenoord striker Santiago Giménez. The Mexican has been tearing it up in the Eredivisie, and these performances have piqued the interest of many high profile suitors.
These performances are no doubt making him seem like he could be a prolific finisher in the future, which makes Frankfurt’s interest rather understandable. The German club are flush with cash from the sale of Randal Kolo Muani to Paris Saint-Germain, and have yet to find a solution to the gap in talent left behind.
With Giménez however, the club would clearly not be getting a Kolo Muani replacement as the players have rather different profiles. In Kolo Muani, the club had a pacey player that often drifted wide when attacking, and didn’t conform to the norms one would expect from your conventional striker. His impressive dribbling skills and ability to beat defenders for pace made him a menace for Frankfurt in counter-attacking scenarios. He is also known for his chance creation, which is exemplified by his 15 goals and 14 assists in the Bundesliga last season. Kolo Muani is just as proficient at creating chances for his teammates as he is at scoring goals, with the player often looking to cut the ball back to a teammate in a better position after he’s committed opposition defenders to tracking his run, hence opening up space for his teammates.
Giménez is a bit different in his playstyle on the pitch. The Argentine-born Mexican international has been tearing it up for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, racking up 13 goals and three assists across nine appearances. Unlike Kolo Muani, Giménez is far more what you’d expect a classic striker to be; strong, tenacious and physical in his play, and very much at home in the box, which is where he does his best work.
Statistically, it’s clear when looking at the numbers that Kolo Muani excels when it comes to progressive carries (3.17), successful take ons (2.30) progressive passes (8.20) assists (0.26) and shot creating actions (3.14) per 90 minutes on the pitch. Gimenez on his part is very much more goal-oriented with 0.92 non-penalty goals per 90, outshining Kolo Muani’s 0.52 by some margin. On the flip side, in Giménez you have a player that’s unlikely to create as many chances for your side on his own accord. His shot creating actions sit at 2.68 per 90, which, while not bad in the slightest, show that he is a player that needs to be fed, as opposed to Kolo Muani who was one of the creative forces for Frankfurt over the course of his time with Die Adler.
A change in style of play to incorporate Giménez shouldn’t be hard for Frankfurt, who have proven to be rather resilient in replacing talent and playing an attractive style of football while remaining a competitive side in the Bundesliga. The main issue with regards to the club obtaining Giménez’s services would likely be the price Feyenoord would command, especially next summer. The money spent on Kolo Muani will likely be dispensed on multiple positions, and the club may be better off looking for a promising young striker that they can develop themselves.
For Giménez however, a move to Frankfurt would be a great step if the financial aspect of any potential deal ends up suiting all parties. He could really boost his profile in the Bundesliga and then, like many Frankfurt players before him, make the jump to another, higher profile outfit within Germany or abroad.
GGFN | Brian Szlenk
