Wolves have been warned that they should have expected Raul Jimenez to have fitness concerns due to his age, with the striker sidelined until 2027.

There was a lot of enthusiasm when Wanderers signed a deal to bring the Mexican back to Molineux in the summer, with Jimenez available on a free transfer after his Fulham contract expired.

The 35-year-old also had a strong World Cup performance for El Tri, so Wolves were hopeful Jimenez would lead an immediate return to the Premier League.

Wolves take a huge Raul Jimenez injury blow.

However, despite Jimenez’s three goals in six Championship games, Cesar Peixoto will be without his talisman for the next few months.

The Portuguese manager made the controversial choice to start Jimenez against Everton in the EFL Cup last month, despite significantly rotating the squad just days before the derby victory over West Brom.

Raul Jimenez’s 26/27 Championship Statistics (Source: FotMob)

Appearances

6

Goals

3

Assists: 1 Minutes Played: 350 XG

2.62

And, Jimenez went out in the first half, and while Peixoto felt the injury was minor, the former Benfica player hasn’t played since.

Then, in a troubling development, the club acknowledged that surgery will be required to resolve the knee injury, which will keep Jimenez out for three months.

Wolves will still hope Raul Jimenez can contribute to the promotion campaign.

That has left Peixoto with few choices up top, with Adam Armstrong and Newcastle loanee Sean Neave the only two natural attackers on the roster.

Armstrong, who missed the win against Burnley due to injury, has battled the most, while Neave has no experience at this level.

Fans have rightly questioned the hierarchy and if Wolves should have signed a more experienced number nine in the summer.

Despite Jimenez’s popularity, some may question the club’s decision to rely so heavily on him, given that he was not playing 90 minutes per week at Craven Cottage.

However, when questioned by FLW if there was any remorse in bringing Jimenez back after the injury setback, Wolves fan pundit Thomas Woodhall stated unequivocally that he is pleased to see the striker in Old Gold.

“There will be no regrets in bringing Jimenez back.

“For me, I expected him to miss plenty of the season through injury, just because of his age, so I don’t regret it.”

Without Raul Jimenez, the Wolves will have to change their game style.

There’s no disputing that losing Jimenez is a huge loss, since he is the only striker with a real physical presence, and he would have been the focal point for Peixoto to develop around.

Without the Mexican, the head coach must adjust, as Armstrong is a very different type of player and has struggled this season.

Furthermore, while Neave has demonstrated glimpses of his undeniable skill, he is still a young and raw player who must be properly managed.

So it’s ultimately up to Peixoto to make adjustments to get the best out of Armstrong, and there’s still plenty of talent in the Wolves’ ranks to harm opponents without Jimenez.

Then, when he returns to the pitch in the New Year, it will be a major boost, and the fan favourite will still be hoping to have a big impact this season as Wolves push for promotion.