Fulham are set to sign the Mexican international striker Raúl Jiménez from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an initial fee of £5.5m.
The 32 year-old centre forward, who has scored 57 goals in 166 games since moving to Molineux from Benfica in 2018, is surplus to requirements in the Midlands having been frozen out by Julen Lopetegui. The 6ft 2in front man, who recovered from a fractured skull suffered in November 2020, has agreed terms to join Fulham and is well known to Marco Silva following his trophy-laden spell in Portugal.
Jimenez has left Wolves’ pre-season training camp in Portugal to finalise the formalities of the transfer. The experienced striker came through the Club America academy before winning the Clausura in 2013 and his 38 goals in 103 appearances secured a £10m to Atletico Madrid. He scored a solitary goal during his only season in Spain and opted to join Benfica ahead of West Ham.
He scored 31 goals in 121 appearances as Benfica won back-to-back Primeira Liga titles before moving to Molineux, initially on loan in the summer of 2018. Jimenez is the seventh highest scorer in Mexican history, with 30 goals from his century of senior caps, and has represented his country at three successive World Cup. He was a key part of the Mexican side that won the football gold medal at London 2012.
One or two year deal as a backup forward, this is fine. But we’ll need to set our sights higher for a direct replacement for Mitro. I’d be happy with Raul and Vini as the back-ups though.
Is he a direct replacement for mitro or a back up option until we get another striker ??We in trouble if we expect a 32 old bang up striker to lead the attack !!!!!!
This is a typical Fulham deal, we have a history of taking players that everyone thinks are done and finding something special. Raul is a decent No9, he could be another Willian… watch this space.
Wolves fan here. In peace.
I never thought Wolves lack of goals was down to Raul. There was no one scoring as there was no creativity. Could well be a cracking signing and I’m sorry to lose him.
I feel that to sign Raul will be a backward step as watching his performances since his nasty injury I do feel that he has lost a lot of confidence, not surprisingly. He certainly was an extremely `brave` CF at Wolves before his injury , but I think time as a No 1 striker has gone, back up — maybe
I think Mitro has undone all the work he has done at Fulham. He will now be remembered as a money grabbing git that has little or no loyalty to a club he has a contract with. Very sad that his future will be in some obscure middle eastern league going forward.
I agree Mitro is a 2faced money grabber and we should hold out for as much money we can squeeze out of the Arabs ,I really hope what has been said about Marco staying at Fulham is true we will survive without Mitro but I wouldn’t like to lose Marco so I hope the Khan’s give him a new long contract and pay him what he is worth.
I think we have to accept that Mitro is out. I agree and disagree with RJS. Jimenez clearly suffered a loss of confidence after the skull fracture, but if he is now over that and can get back to his previous form he is world class. Fingers crossed. Silva must believe that it is possible.
Maybe he’s being brought in mentor Santi Gimenez.