Wolves have rejected a player swap deal with Juventus that would have seen striker Raul Jimenez join the Italian champions, a report from Corriere dello Sport has revealed.
Following another outstanding campaign at Molineux that saw him score 27 goals in 55 appearances in all competitions last season, Jimenez looks set to be a man in demand this summer.
According to the latest reports, Juventus have made an approach for the Mexican, with an offer that would have seen Wolves pick up something of a big name themselves.
It is thought that the Italian giants offered Gonzalo Higuain as part of the deal, which would have provided Wolves with a direct replacement for Jimenez.
Higuain scored eight goals in 32 league appearances as the club lifted the Serie A title last season. The Argentine also has some Premier League experience under his belt, spending the second half of last season on loan with Chelsea, scoring five goals in 18 appearances in total, winning the Europa League during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Aaron Ramsey, who only joined Juventus from Arsenal last summer, was also apparently offered as part of a possible alternative deal, but Wolves turned down both approaches, due to their €100million valuation of Jimenez.
Despite the high profile nature of this approach, it is good to see Wolves apparently knock it back quickly.
With three years remaining on Jimenez’ contract at Molineux, the club are under no pressure to sell, and with Ramsey not a direct replacement, and Higuain’s recent record not exactly convincing, why would they want to?
It does feel as though Wolves have the opportunity to do something big this season, with no European distraction in a congested fixture list, although they will have to keep hold of their key men if they are to do that, and Jimenez fits that bill as much as anyone else at the club right now.
