Wolves have agreed a two-year deal to re-sign Raul Jimenez on a free transfer from Fulham, the club confirmed after the 35-year-old completed a medical while on international duty with Mexico.
The contract at Molineux includes an option for a further year. Jimenez returns to the club where he scored 57 goals in 166 games between 2018 and 2023 and adds proven finishing as Wolves prepare for life in the Championship next season. He spent the previous three seasons at Fulham, scoring 28 goals in 98 Premier League appearances before being listed by Fulham on Monday among players set to leave when his contract expires at the end of June.
This signing is Wolves’ second free transfer of the summer after Kieran Trippier, who also committed to a two-year deal after leaving Newcastle. The immediate practical impact is clear: Wolves add experience and a goalscoring record at a moment when they are rebuilding for their first season in the second tier since 2017-18 after finishing bottom of the Premier League.
Jimenez first joined Wolves from Benfica in 2018 and left in 2023 for Fulham. His return is notable for the numbers — 57 goals in 166 appearances for Wolves and 28 in 98 top-flight games for Fulham — figures that promise influence in a division where proven scorers are at a premium. He completed his medical with Wolves while away with Mexico, who are co-hosting the World Cup and were due to begin the tournament against South Africa on Thursday.
There is immediate friction in the deal: Fulham had already placed Jimenez on a list of players set to depart when contracts lapse, and the transfer was finalised while he remained with Mexico at a major tournament. That timing clears the path for a free transfer but leaves open questions about when Jimenez will be physically available to join pre-season at Molineux and how Wolves will deploy a 35-year-old forward in a congested Championship schedule.
For Wolves, the signing supplies a short-term solution and a familiar face who can help steady a squad with Premier League experience but not Premier League football next season. For Fulham it closes the book on a player who contributed 28 goals in 98 league outings. For Jimenez it is a return to the club where he had his longest run of form, and a chance to kick off the next phase of his career in English football.
The most consequential question now is immediate availability: will Jimenez join Wolves straight from international duty and be ready to play at the start of the Championship campaign, or will he be eased in as a rotation option under the two-year deal? Wolves have given themselves a Champions-tier short-term bet on a familiar goalscorer; whether that bet pays off will depend on his fitness, minutes, and how the manager chooses to use him once pre-season begins.
For readers tracking the wider World Cup build-up, commentary and predictions are already appearing — including bold forecasts from FOX Sports contributors — and coverage of opening fixtures and broadcast plans can be found in the run-up to kickoff. See a selection of analysis and scheduling notes from our coverage of the tournament and its broadcast arrangements as the global game kicks into motion.
