Inside Santiago Giménez’s behind-the-scenes push to bring Luka Jovic to Cruz Azul
The Mexican player said that his teammate approached him to ask him about La Máquina since Iván Alonso looked for him every day.
Luka Jovic is reportedly high on Cruz Azul’s radar as the club looks to make a big statement ahead of the Apertura 2025 season. With Mexican soccer experiencing a wave of high-profile international signings—Aaron Ramsey has joined Pumas, the same club now chasing Keylor Navas; Sergio Ramos is at Monterrey; and James Rodríguez remains with León—La Máquina is determined to land a marquee name of its own.
Jovic, currently playing for AC Milan, shares a locker room with Mexican striker Santiago Giménez, and it appears “Santi” has played a key role in sparking the Serbian’s interest in Liga MX. Giménez has openly praised Cruz Azul to his Milan teammate, sharing personal stories of his time with the club and the family-like atmosphere that shaped his early career.
How Santi Giménez sold Cruz Azul to Luka Jovic
“Back in April, toward the end of the season, Luka showed me a message from Iván Alonso,” Giménez recalled during a sponsor event. “He was texting Luka every day, sending him videos of Cruz Azul, telling him, ‘Come here, you’ve got to check this out.’ After that, Luka started asking me more questions during training—what the club is like, what the experience is like.”
“I told him it’s a wonderful club, that it’s where I grew up, and if he decides to come to Cruz Azul, he’s going to love it. It really is a family,” Giménez continued.
What Jovic will bring to Cruz Azul
“As for what Luka brings—he’s a guy who, if you send him a ball, he’ll hold it up for you. He doesn’t lose possession, and in the box, he’s a killer. I know Cruz Azul isn’t exactly lacking strikers, but if Luka comes, the internal competition will push everyone to a higher level.”
If Jovic does end up making the move to Mexico, there’s little doubt Santiago Giménez will have played a major part in getting the deal over the line.
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