According to Portuguese source O Jogo, Wolverhampton Wanderers are prepared to break their club-record transfer fee and sign Benfica loanee Raul Jimenez permanently at the end of the season for a mammoth £34million.
The 27-year-old, who made a couple of substitute appearances for Mexico at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, has been in fine form for the newly-promoted side this season, contributing with 4 goals and 4 assists from 16 appearances.
Jimenez was on target as Wolves came back from behind and pulled off a major upset to claim all three points at home against Chelsea. The Mexican has also bagged a couple of Man of the Match awards in the Premier League to show for his efforts.
Going by the records, Jimenez has never been that sort of a player who racks up 15-20 goals in a season. In fact, he has never crossed the 10-goal mark in any of his seasons at Benfica or Atletico Madrid. With 67 goals and 38 assists from a combined 246 appearances for America, Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Wolves, he can hardly be termed as a jaw-dropping goalscorer.
However, his ability to link-up with his teammates and hold the ball in the final third makes him a valuable asset to Wolves. Standing at 6ft. 3 inches with a solid frame for a centre-forward, Jimenez has an obvious height advantage over most of his defensive counterparts and he knows exactly how to use it to his advantage.
Jimenez’s tall stature allows him to shield the ball from the defenders and hold the ball for long enough, drawing the defenders out from their positions and allowing his teammates to get in behind the backline. Blessed with immense tactical intelligence and incredible vision, the Mexican has the ability to cause all sorts of problems for the defenders with his subtle movement in the final third.
The 27-year-old is also a good reader of the game in the air and has the ability to get off the ground quickly and time his jump to perfection to beat his marker, making him a genuine threat from set-pieces and corners.
His ability to tee up his teammates with subtle flick-ons and layoffs in the final third has created a lot of chances for Wolves this season. Even though he has squandered a few chances, Jimenez is arguably the best finisher in the team.
As a matter of fact, Jimenez has averaged 3.1 shots, 2.5 aerial duels and 1.3 key passes per game in the Premier League this term, which speaks volumes of his all-around ability as a centre-forward.
Suffice to say, Raul Jimenez has been an indispensable component of Wolves’ attack so far and he has complemented the likes of Helder Costa, Diogo Jota and Matt Doherty well. Costa and Doherty, in particular, have combined effectively with Jimenez to create the opportunities in the final third.
Wolves currently sit 10th in the Premier League standings and Jimenez holds the key to their chances of finishing in the top-ten this season. He is currently one of the most high-profile players in the squad and Wolves can strike gold by making his stay at Molineux permanent.