Wolves are currently flying high in the English Premier League sitting fifth in the table. The success the club has achieved this season could be attributed to the powerhouse attacking partnership between Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez.
The introduction of the Mexican and Spanish duo has seen a combined effort of ten goals this season from linked up play, with Jimenez scoring seven. Since signing permanently for the club in 2019, for a then club record-breaking fee of £30 million, Jimenez has scored 15 goals for the club and has six assists in the league alone.
However, with rumours that the current Wolves number nine could be off to the likes of Manchester United, fans have been left wondering if the Mexican main man will still be in an old gold shirt next season.
Is Jimenez Wolves’ key to success?
There is no denying the impact the Mexican maestro has on this Wolves side with Jimenez contributing a whopping 46.7% of Wolves’ Premier League goals this season. In addition to this almost all of Jimenez’s goals this season have gained Wolves points.
Wolves’ number nine has also been involved in 35% of goals in Wolves’ current Europa League campaign and is undoubtedly a crucial part of Nuno’s side in the competition. At this point, it’s pretty easy to say that Jimenez is by far the most prolific player in the current squad and a huge fan favourite.
With the club struggling in the past to identify and sign outright proven strikers it’s no wonder Wolves fans are desperate to hold on to their main man. The lack of squad depth Wolves currently show leaves fans questioning what would happen if Jimenez was to leave in the summer transfer window, would it result in a change of formation or is there someone in the pipeline to replace him? There is an argument that Wolves winger Diogo Jota has the versatility and skills to fit the striker profile, however, fans seem reluctant with this possible solution.
As Jimenez has proven crucial in not only the Premier League but also Europa League games as well, it can’t be helped but to think of the impact he could have if Wolves were to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
The club have never been in the Champions League as we now know it and in their current form since project restart, it’s easy to see why the club and fans are ever hopeful that their pressing to finish in the top four will prevail.
If Wolves do see themselves into the Champions League, Jimenez’s role as the club’s number nine will be more important than ever and the need to retain him is a must to ensure Wolves a good competition run. With Jimenez being the main source of the club’s goals this season there is no denying the possibility that Wolves would struggle without him.
The fans’ dying need for some silverware is prevalent and therefore retaining Jimenez could finally see Wolverhampton Wanderers lift the Europa League trophy and qualify for the Champions League while doing so.
Who could Wolves sign to replace Raul Jimenez?
It’s not just the question of who could replace Jimenez in the current squad but of who could replace the striker as an utter fan favourite.
Since joining the club it’s obvious that Wolves fans seem to lap up Jimenez whether it’s in the form of his social media presence online or if it’s his performances on the pitch.
His involvement in getting WWE superstar Sincara to support the club was a marketing stroke of genius as you’ll see wrestling masks present every week at Molineux in honour of the Mexican. It’s easy to see why Wolves even tailored their third kit to fit the theme of the strikers home country of Mexico.
Since loaning Patrick Cutrone to Fiorentina in January, Jimenez is Wolves only proven striker. Cutrone only appeared for the club 12 times with a total of two goals but is yet to score for his new team in his home country of Italy. Fiorentina has an obligation to buy Cutrone meaning his time at Wolves is well and truly finished. It’s also thought that Fiorentina are now also looking to offload Cutrone after he’s failed to impress in Florence.
Some fans argue that keeping Cutrone could have seen Wolves through if Jimenez was to leave the club in the summer however many were against Cutrone staying.
It is also rumoured that Wolves are potentially interested in Benfica striker Carlos Vinicius if Raul was to part ways with the club. Carlos Vinicius has scored 22 goals in all competitions with six assists also to his name, however Wolves fans seem much more interested in keeping their Mexican main man than seeing anyone new in an esteemed old gold number nine shirt.
Liz Ford is part of the Talking Wolves editorial team – you can follow her on Twitter here.