JUST IN: Club director utterly unviel BIG factor that made 23yr Old striker with 58 goals snubbed Nottingham Forest Deadline Day call.
Feyenoord sporting director Dennis te Kloese has revealed that neither the club nor striker Santiago Gimenez were fully convinced by Nottingham Forest’s interest during the summer transfer window.
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo had been keen to add a striker to his squad, and Gimenez, at 23 years old with an impressive record of 53 goals in 90 appearances in Dutch football, was one of their targets. However, despite a series of offers leading up to the final week of the window, the transfer ultimately didn’t happen. Te Kloese has now shared insight into why the move didn’t materialize.
Speaking to ESPN, Te Kloese said, “I think Santi has shown over the past two years that he’s a key player for Feyenoord, and his stats reflect that. He had a fantastic first half of last season and was very valuable in the second half. We expected interest from clubs beyond Nottingham Forest, and while offers did come in, we kept them under wraps. Ultimately, Santi wasn’t fully convinced about a move to Nottingham, and as a club, we weren’t entirely sold on the idea either. That’s why we decided, along with him and his management, to stay the course.”
In addition to missing out on Gimenez, Forest also failed to sign Eddie Nketiah, who opted for Crystal Palace, and Omar Marmoush, who chose to remain with Eintracht Frankfurt.
As Gimenez continues his journey with Feyenoord, Te Kloese emphasized the growing leadership role the Mexican striker is expected to take on this season and expressed satisfaction with the club’s approach to transfers, resisting pressure from bigger European leagues.
He added, “We have a lot of commitments—Eredivisie, Champions League, and the cup. Santi is transitioning into more of a leadership role, and I’m not disappointed at all. We don’t have to respond to every offer for our players and rush into selling them. We are fortunate to provide our coaches with great facilities and offer our players a strong platform to showcase their talent, allowing them to eventually move on at the right time. We’re not in a position where we have to sell just because interest arises.”