Raul Jimenez has been in fantastic form at Wolverhampton Wanderers, so it’s no surprise that clubs will be keen on his signature. Don Balon’s report that Real Madrid want to bring the 28-year-old to the Santiago Bernabeu doesn’t make a lot of sense, however.
Don Balon say Zinedine Zidane wants a No.9 to play alongside Karim Benzema after Luca Jovic’s disappointing debut season (24 appearances, two goals, two assists) but Jimenez shares a lot of similarities to the 32-year-old – Jimenez is another target man who holds up the ball to bring others into play.
It would make sense if Real were looking for a long-term replacement for Benzema, but Los Blancos only extended his deal in February so he’s not going anywhere. Jimenez is a former Atletico Madrid player too, so him joining Real would be controversial.
Ultimately though, Wolves won’t let the striker leave as their successful model depends on retaining their most valuable assets. The West Midlands outfit have been efficient in keeping their best players tied down to long-term contracts.
As per Transfermarkt, Max Kilman is the only first-teamer out of contract this summer while Willy Boly and Romain Saiss are the only ones out of contract next summer.
Wolves spent £34m and agreed on a four-year deal with Jimenez in 2019 which would keep him at Molineux until the age of 32, so the West Midlands outfit clearly aren’t in the business of just developing young talent to sell for a profit – they’re also happy to sign experienced players for a high price.
Wolves won’t let Jimenez go due to his value to the side. The Mexican international has contributed 57 goals in 88 games, so he’s irreplaceable for now.
