Raul Jimenez will miss the start of Wolves’ Premier League season in what’s a rough start to a busy few months for the Mexico star.
Jimenez was injured in a preseason friendly against Besiktas, with Wolves confirming it’s an MCL injury in his knee to go with an adductor sprain.
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Wolves already had concerns in the striker department and Jimenez’s injury -- as well as problems for Hee-Chang Hwang and winger Adama Traore -- will ask plenty of Bruno Lage’s early-season attack.
Jimenez fractured his skull in late 2020 and scored just six times with four assists in 34 appearances during the 2021-22 Premier League season.
What do Raul Jimenez’s injuries mean for Wolves, Mexico?
The 31-year-old Jimenez is seven caps away from reaching 100 for Mexico and was on pace to see that happen at the World Cup in Qatar. He scored thrice in World Cup qualifying after returning from his horrendous injury.
An online report put the number of weeks at eight, though Jimenez has tried to pour cold water on that time table as that could put Jimenez out of the lineup through Mexico’s September friendly preparations for the World Cup. El Tri faces Peru and Colombia on U.S. soil in late September.
Reports out of Mexico say that Jimenez’s injury could finally open the door to a Mexican national team return for Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.
Chicharito has eight goals in 22 appearances for the LA Galaxy this season but the Mexico centurion hasn’t been capped since 2019.
Back to Wolves, Fabio Silva’s been sent on loan to Anderlecht and the injuries to Hwang and Jimenez put further emphasis on the transfer market. The club is loaded with wingers and may be forced to look to a false nine situation for early matches this season.
The club has a favorable start to the Premier League season with Leeds, Fulham, Tottenham, Newcastle, Bournemouth, and Southampton, but the striker worries change the outlook from thrive to survive.
