It’s fair to say that Raul Jimenez’s rise to Premier League stardom has been a slow and steady journey.
While some players burst onto the scene in their teens and establish themselves at a young age, Jimenez definitely falls into the “late bloomer” category.
Nevertheless, the Mexico international is now widely regarded as one of the best strikers in England’s top tier – and across the world for that matter.
His efforts with Wolves have reportedly attracted the attention of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, and there’s no denying that the 29-year-old deserves a move to an elite club.
But things weren’t always this rosy for Jimenez. The table below compares his first season in Europe with his numbers in the current campaign, and the stats speak for themselves.
RAUL JIMENEZ’S FIRST AND MOST RECENT SEASONS IN EUROPE (LEAGUE GAMES ONLY)
WOLVES – 2019/20
ATLETICO MADRID – 2014/15
29
APPEARANCES
21
13
GOALS
1
6
ASSISTS
2
3.4
SHOTS PER GAME
0.8
As you can see, Jimenez struggled to make an impact with Atletico Madrid following his move from home-country side Club America.
During a three-year spell, Jimenez made a name for himself as a clinical forward – racking up 38 goals and 16 assists for the Mexican powerhouse.
However, he failed to adapt to the demands of La Liga – netting just once for Atletico in his sole season with Diego Simeone’s side.
Jimenez moved the Portuguese club Benfica in 2015, and despite winning back-to-back league titles, he wasn’t exactly a prolific goalscorer for the Eagles.
His record of 31 goals in 120 appearances in all competitions did little to convince Benfica manager Rui Vitoria that he was worth keeping, and he was loaned to Wolves in 2018.
Jimenez took to the Premier League like a duck to water – scoring 17 goals in his debut season in England.
Wolves were quick to make his loan deal permanent, and he has continued to go from strength to strength this term.
Before the season was put on hold, the Mexican had bagged 13 Premier League goals in 2019/20, along with nine in the Europa League (including qualifying matches).
It's taken some time, but Jimenez has finally established himself as one of the best strikers in the game. Is a big move just around the corner? Only time will tell.
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