Wolves may regret selling star player now performing like £90m talent

Wolverhampton Wanderers enjoyed a positive result under new manager Vitor Pereira, securing just their third Premier League victory this season with an impressive 3-0 win over Leicester City. Goals from Goncalo Guedes, Rodrigo Gomes and Matheus Cunha highlighted a commanding first-half display.

With the January transfer window approaching, Pereira will have the opportunity to strengthen his squad. However, the club may be regretting a transfer decision made last summer involving a player now thriving elsewhere in the Premier League.

Raul Jimenez joined Fulham for just £5 million after struggling to recapture his best form following a serious head injury. The Mexican striker had been a key player for Wolves previously, scoring 17 goals in his debut season after initially joining on loan from Benfica in 2018.

After making the move permanent for £30 million, Jimenez enjoyed his most prolific campaign in 2019/20, netting 27 goals across all competitions as Wolves secured another 7th place finish and reached the Europa League quarter-finals.

Injury issues hampered Jimenez over the next few seasons, limiting him to just 13 goals between 2020 and 2023. This led to his cut-price move to Fulham, which is now looking like inspired business for the London club.

The 32-year-old has rediscovered his goalscoring touch under Marco Silva, with 5 goals and 2 assists in 17 Premier League appearances so far this term. His all-round play has also impressed, creating 5 big chances and averaging 2.1 shots per game.

Jimenez’s resurgence has even drawn comparisons to one of Europe’s most coveted strikers. According to FBref, Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez – valued at around £90 million – is now statistically one of the most similar players to the Mexican forward.

The pair have registered comparable numbers across several key metrics this season, including goals and assists (both 7), shots per 90 minutes (3.07 vs 2.93) and touches in the attacking penalty area (68 vs 54) in their respective leagues.

This statistical similarity to such a highly-rated talent emphasizes just how impressive Jimenez has been since leaving Molineux. As Wolves look to climb away from relegation danger under their new manager, they may be rueing the decision to let such a quality striker depart for such a modest fee.