Wolves have finally found their new Raul Jimenez and it’s not Cunha..
Wolverhampton Wanderers crashed out of the FA Cup on penalties at the weekend to Bournemouth in what was yet another poor result for the Old Gold.
It was capped off by star man Matheus Cunha receiving his marching orders in the final minute of extra time, which means he will miss several matches over the next few weeks.
How the club could use a player like Raul Jimenez to lead the line in his absence, with the Brazilian having initially thought to have been the ideal heir for the Mexican striker upon his departure.
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Molineux’s cult hero: The numbers behind Raul Jimenez’s Wolves career
The striker joined Wolves in 2018 ahead of their first season back in the Premier League, going on to score 17 goals in all competitions.
The following campaign was even better. Not only did the Old Gold finish seventh for the second season in a row, but Jimenez found the back of the net 27 times while chipping in with nine assists. Wolves even reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Raul Jimenez’s Wolves statistics
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
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
Via Transfermarkt
Jimenez’s talents in the final third were exceptional, but injuries soon began to plague him. A horrendous skull fracture in November 2020 ruled him out for the rest of the season and he was arguably never the same in the Midlands.
He would go on to score just nine further goals for the club, struggling to recapture his early form at Molineux and was sold to Fulham in the summer of 2023 for just £5.5m.
Jimenez has since scored 18 goals for the London side, with Wolves failing to find a proper heir to his cult hero status.
Wolves have found their next Raul Jimenez
If not the aforementioned Cunha, might Jorgen Strand Larsen be the ideal candidate?
The Norwegian striker joined the club on an initial loan deal last summer, which will be made permanent at the end of the season.
Seven goals and three assists is hardly the most prolific of returns, but three of these goals have come against Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham Hotspur, suggesting he loves playing against a higher-quality opposition.
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Hailed by journalist Josh Bunting last August, he outlined qualities, specifically his ability to be in the right place at the right time, that evokes memories of Jimenez: “His movement off the ball really stands out to me,” Bunting noted. “He’s sharp on the ball and gets into the space really well.”
When compared to his positional peers in the Premier League, Larsen ranks in the top 1% for shots on target percentage (63.9%) per 90 and in the top 24% for aerials won (2.27) per 90. For context, Jimenez ranks in the top 21% for aerials won with 2.64, outlining their similar prowess when the ball is off the deck.
