Former Wolves striker Raul Jimenez will forever be classed as a hero for what he achieved at Molineux.
Jimenez spearheaded the Wolves attack during the Nuno Espirito Santo golden era as the Wanderers qualified for the Europa League in two successive campaigns.
The Mexican striker eclipsed the 20-goal mark during his most memorable times at the club, firing a combined 44 goals across the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns.
The clinical finisher was one of the best strikers in the Premier League at that point but after Jimenez suffered a horrific skull injury against Arsenal in November 2020, his form took a turn for the worse as a result.
Upon recovering from the life-threatening injury, the 33-year-old only managed nine goals in 56 appearances and failed to recapture his scoring touch that once set Molineux alight.
Wolves decided to sell Jimenez to Fulham in the summer of 2023 alongside Adama Traore. To many, this was the correct decision, although one pundit disagreed.
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Stephen Warnock was ‘surprised’ when Wolves sold Raul Jimenez
Since making the switch to West London, the Mexican international has endeared himself to the Fulham faithful and this season, he’s produced some of his best form in years.
With five goals and two assists in 16 appearances, the striker is on track to reach double figures for the first time since 2020, and that would be impressive.
It’s a far cry from how he performed towards the end of his Wolves career, and that is understandable given the extent of the injury, yet former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock thinks they were wrong to sell Jimenez.
Speaking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club podcast, Warnock outlined his ‘surprise’ for when they allowed the Mexican to leave for pastures new.
“The one thing that really surprised me was actually, and I love him and I think he’s a great player, was why they’d sell Raul Jimenez,” he said.
“I know it wasn’t last season, but for a player of that quality, he’s exactly what Wolves need. He’ll chip in with 10 goals a season, maybe a few more, but it’s his work rate off the ball. It’s that tenacity up front to pester defenders constantly.”
Jorgen Strand Larsen is better than Jimenez
Wolves still chant about Jimenez at some matches and in the 4-1 win over Fulham, the supporters showed their appreciation towards the striker.
However, most will disagree with what Warnock said about him, as the club made the correct decision to move him on when they did.
Now, Jorgen Strand Larsen has finally replaced Jimenez at Wolves, becoming that physically imposing and aerially powerful striker they craved.
| Raul Jimenez vs Jorgen Strand Larsen (2024/25) | Raul Jimenez | Jorgen Strand Larsen |
| Games | 16 | 16 |
| Goals | 5 | 6 |
| Assists | 2 | 2 |
| Aerial duels won per 90 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| Goal conversion | 15% | 23% |
| Key passes | 0.6 | 0.6 |
Since arriving from Celta Vigo on a season-long loan with an option to buy, Strand Larsen has shown his quality, forming a lethal partnership with Matheus Cunha while showcasing his clinical edge.
Indeed, the above table suggests the Norwegian has narrowly outperformed Jimenez this term and is proving exactly why they were right to offload him.