Following the signing of experienced England full-back Kieran Trippier, Wolverhampton Wanderers have landed another impressive free transfer in the form of Raul Jimenez.
The striker’s contract with Fulham expires on June 30, allowing him to leave for Wolves after he spent three years at Craven Cottage, scoring 31 times.
Wolves had to fend off the Mexican’s fellow former clubs, as well as teams in the MLS, to land the signature of their man.
Jimenez is a fan favourite of his adoring Old Gold supporters after he fronted the most successful Wolves side in four decades during 2018/19 and 2019/20.
Wolves snapped him up from the club they sold him to in 2023, to plenty of shock – the 35-year-old has never played outside a top division.
The Championship awaits the iconic Mexican who will lead the line for a World Cup 2026 host nation this summer.
Molineux’s cult hero
The returning striker enjoyed a remarkable spell with the West Midlands club, signing from Benfica in 2018 following promotion for Wolves.
Despite never quite hitting the heights expected in Spain or Portugal, England proved to be the perfect fit for Jimenez.
He scored 13 league goals in his debut Premier League season, firing Wolves to a seventh-place finish and a Europa League spot.
The following season was even better for the Mexico international, 27 goals and 10 assists across all competitions put him among some of the best strikers in Europe.
A near-fatal skull fracture while playing Arsenal in November 2020 meant the talismanic striker was sidelined for almost a year, with doubts over his return.
The determined forward did return, however, scoring his first Premier League goal after his injury against Southampton in 2021.
In 2023, Jimenez moved on to Fulham for around £5 million and left Molineux as a hero and Wolves’ all-time top Premier League goalscorer.
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Excitement building
For Wolves fans, excitement has been extremely hard to come by in recent times, but the two recent signings of Trippier and Jimenez have boosted the mood considerably.
While relegation is always a huge disappointment, a reset was needed in Wolverhampton as the side repeatedly flirted with relegation before enduring a torrid season last time out.
There is an expectation on Rob Edwards’ side to return to the Premier League immediately.
Signing a striker who is his nation’s main man ahead of a World Cup is the perfect statement to send out and can only boost confidence that the target of promotion can be achieved.
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