Wolverhampton Wanderers enjoyed the new manager bounce over the weekend as Vitor Pereira led the Old Gold to just their third Premier League win of the season.
It was a commanding display against Leicester City, with goals from Goncalo Guedes, Rodrigo Gomes, and Matheus Cunha in a frantic first half.
The same players that had been guilty of underperforming under Gary O’Neil over the previous few weeks certainly turned up against the Foxes on Sunday afternoon. This could be a turning point in their season.
The January transfer market will open in just over a week and it comes at the perfect time for the new manager to strengthen his squad ahead of the second half of the season.
Vitor Pereira could lose key Wolves players in January
The former Porto manager may have to sell a player or two once the winter window opens to strengthen his first team.
Several players fit the bill in this regard. Rayan Ait-Nouri has attracted interest from Liverpool in recent months as the defender has enjoyed a wonderful start to the campaign.
Cunha is another star who has consistently delivered for the Old Gold throughout 2024/25, which has naturally led to interest from bigger clubs in the Premier League.
Manchester United are reportedly keen on adding him to their squad and one of Pereira’s first jobs will be to convince both of these players that staying in the Midlands is the best course of action for their careers, at least until the summer.
Plenty of managers in the past have been guilty of selling players far too hastily in the past. One good example came in the summer of 2023 when Julen Lopetegui sold someone who had shone for the club since joining permanently in 2019.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
Raul Jimenez’s time at Wolves
Since he left, Raul Jimenez has showcased his true talents for Fulham in the top flight, and it is clear that the club must regret selling him, especially for such a low transfer fee.
Following the club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2018, Nuno Espírito Santo was keen on bolstering his team ahead of new challenges.
Jimenez joined on a season-long loan from Benfica and went on to score 15 league goals as Wolves finished seventh in their first season back.
2022/23
20
3
1
2021/22
36
6
5
2020/21
11
4
0
2019/20
55
27
10
2018/19
44
17
7
This led the club to splurge around £30m to keep him at Molineux permanently and it turned out to be money well spent.
The 2019/20 campaign saw the Mexican forward score a total of 27 goals while grabbing ten assists as another seventh-place finish was combined with a run to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
This would turn out to be Jimenez’s finest season for the Old Gold, as over the next three years, a succession of injury issues would limit his effectiveness for the club.
Indeed, he missed 53 games in total, managing to find the back of the net on just 13 occasions as he struggled to get back to full fitness.
In the summer of 2023, it was clear his future lay elsewhere, which led Julen Lopetegui to sell him.
With first-team football hard to secure in the Midlands, Fulham spent just £5m to bring the Mexican to London last summer and the move has turned into an inspired one.
Jimenez struggled to gain much first-team football for Wolves, despite shaking off his injury issues, and it was clear that a fresh start was required for the veteran striker.
Might the club regret this move, however? Jimenez is now in stunning form and is even comparable to a striker who is lighting up Serie A for Inter Milan…
How Jimenez is performing at Fulham
The 2023/24 season saw the former Wolves hitman score seven league goals in 24 matches as he acclimatised to life in the capital, but he is on course to score more this term.
In 17 top-flight matches, the striker is currently on five goals and two assists, as Marco Silva has brought the best out of him clearly.
Along with his goals, Jimenez has also created five big chances, averages 0.5 key passes per game and registers 2.1 shots per game as he looks lively in the opposition penalty area.
His performances have also allowed him to star for Mexico, scoring against the USA in a match between the two recently, and he was praised by manager Javier Aguirre, who said:
“He came back very well [from his injury], very well. He’s scored goals, he’s made assists. He looks mature and in good form, having completely overcome his injury. I think he is definitely a leader for us.”
According to FBref, Argentine sensational Lisandro Martinez is now the sixth-most ‘similar player’ to Jimenez. The Inter forward is valued at around £90m by Inter after a wonderful few seasons, so it is an amazing comparison.
The pair have registered similar statistics domestically this season across a range of metrics including goals and assists (both 7), shots per 90 (3.07 vs 2.93), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.08 vs 2.43), goal-creating actions (4 vs 6) and touches in the attacking penalty area (68 vs 54) in their respective top flight leagues, indicating their poacher-like qualities.
These statistics prove that Jimenez is on par with one of the finest centre-forwards in Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing just how impressive he has been in recent months.
Pereira would love to have someone of this quality at his disposal as Wolves aim to move away from the relegation zone. Did they sell him too hastily? Based on his performance this term, the answer is yes.
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