Porto agree free loan for AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez with €18m purchase option

Porto have reached an agreement with AC Milan to sign Mexico international Santiago Gimenez on loan during the current summer transfer window, according to Sky Sport Italia.

The deal will not include a loan fee, but Porto will have the option to make the move permanent for €18m. The Portuguese club could also pay a further €2m in performance-related bonuses if the purchase clause is activated.

Gimenez, 25, joined AC Milan in the summer of 2025 after the Italian club agreed a €32m deal with Dutch side Feyenoord. His proposed move to Porto would therefore come after only one season at San Siro.

The Mexico international made 37 appearances for AC Milan in all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing six assists. His performances came during a campaign in which he was used as part of the club’s attacking options following his arrival from Feyenoord.

Porto’s agreement with AC Milan would give the forward the opportunity to continue his career in Portugal, while AC Milan would retain the possibility of receiving a significant fee if the player remains with Porto beyond the loan spell.

The arrangement is based on a free loan, with the €18m option to buy and a potential €2m in additional bonuses forming the financial terms reported by Sky Sport Italia. The details mean Porto are not required to pay an initial loan fee, but would have the chance to secure Gimenez permanently under the agreed conditions.

AC Milan have also made a major investment in their attack by signing Portugal forward Goncalo Ramos from Paris Saint-Germain for €74m. That transfer was the most expensive in the club’s history.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Francesco Camarda has returned to AC Milan after completing a loan spell with Lecce. The Italy youth international spent the season at the Serie A club before coming back to his parent side.

Gimenez’s potential departure would leave AC Milan with further decisions to make regarding their forward options, following the arrivals of Ramos and the return of Camarda. For Porto, the proposed agreement offers the chance to assess Gimenez during the loan period before deciding whether to pay the €18m fee, plus any applicable bonuses, to complete a permanent transfer.