Gimenez returns for Milan as Felix nears exit

Reports from Italy say Milan striker Santiago Gimenez could be available to Sergio Conceicao for Sunday’s Serie A match against Napoli.

This is despite concerns of a potential injury he picked up during the March international break. 

Gimenez was on the starting lineup in both of Mexico’s two Nations League fixtures during the international break. They won both ties  (2-0 over Canada and 2-1 over Panama), which crowned Mexico as the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League champions. 

After their success, Gimenez was seen limping around full-time, and reports in Italy later claimed that he had been suffering from pain in his ankle. 

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport,  Gimenez had been struggling with ankle pain, but the issues are not expected to keep him sidelined. 

It was gathered that the Mexican who joined Milan from Feyenoord in January trained individually for the first part of Wednesday’s session but is expected to rejoin the first-team group for full training later in the day, meaning that he should be available to face Napoli on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, Joao Felix may not be staying in Milan until next summer. This emerged after his representative, Jorge Mendez, reportedly held initial talks with Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray ahead of an increasingly likely departure from Chelsea in the summer transfer window.

Joao Felix, who joined Milan on a loan deal during the winter transfer window until the end of the 2024-25 season for a cost of around €2m during the January transfer window, has not lived up to expectations, though he scored off the bench on his debut.

The Portuguese will likely leave his parent club, Chelsea, in the summer as well due to a lack of playing time under Enzo Maresca during the first half of the 2024-25 campaign. 

Turkish outlet Sporx reported that Mendes, who also represents Milan coach Sergio Conceicao, has informed Chelsea that Joao Felix is keen on the idea of joining Galatasaray for the 2025-26 season. 

Galatasaray, who are looking forward to Champions League football next season, are expected to reshape their attacking lineup during the summer transfer window.

They will be without Napoli-owned Victor Osimhen, while there are still decisions to make over former Inter and Milan strikers Mauro Icardi and Alvaro Morata. 

Galatasaray want a loan deal with an option to buy Joao Felix, but are reluctant to cover his €9m-per-season salary in full. Chelsea, meanwhile, would prefer to send the player out on loan with a mandatory obligation to buy or sell him outright.