The most heartfelt signing of the summer arrived sooner than anyone expected: Raúl Jiménez is back at Wolverhampton Wanderers. For the club’s supporters this is not merely a nostalgic welcome for a former idol; it is a chance to revisit a pivotal chapter of their own footballing lives.
For an entire generation Jiménez was the emblematic No.9 at Molineux. He arrived at a time when Wolves were rediscovering their identity, helping the side climb from the Championship to the Premier League and even reach European competition. The team that once stunned Europe was eventually humbled, and now Jiménez returns at a moment when the club is struggling at the bottom of the table.
Yet his homecoming has injected a fresh surge of optimism throughout the organization. The reaction to his signing was immediate and overwhelming. The emotional video released by the club captured the imagination of fans and instantly shifted the mood that had been dominated by the pain of relegation.
Social‑media metrics tell the story: every one of the ten most‑engaged posts on the Wolves’ official accounts since the announcement has been about Jiménez. The club’s Instagram saw record interaction, and the buzz has spilled over far beyond the digital realm. In the streets and in the stands, Jiménez jerseys are everywhere – not just the standard Wolves shirt but the player’s name on its own. During the pre‑season friendly against Real Sociedad, supporters sang his name even though he was not on the pitch, and fans were spotted wearing Mexican national‑team tees in both home and away colours.
Inside the official club shop, the Jiménez replica is outselling the previous year’s best‑selling player by more than 250 per cent. It is hard to find a modern figure as beloved as Steve Bull, but Bull’s era lacked personalised shirts, making the comparison all the more striking. The affection for Jiménez is not a surprise. In recent seasons his name has been a constant chant, not because fans expected his return, but because he had become a symbol of what the club had lost.
The chants often turned into laments about the club’s decline and even criticism of owners Fosun – "You sold the team, now sell the club" – yet when Fulham visited Molineux in the final home game of last season the atmosphere shifted to one of celebration. It was after that match that Jiménez told a local journalist that talks were underway for a deal to bring him back. The sheer joy that followed the revelation helped keep supporters’ spirits alive during a bleak relegation period. To understand why this matters, consider the statistics.
Jiménez scored 40 Premier League goals for Wolves, making him the club’s top scorer in the top flight of the modern era. His 27‑goal haul in the 2019/20 season remains the highest league total for a Wolves player since the days of Steve Bull in the third tier (1989) and only "King" John Richards matched a similar figure back in 1973 when the club was still in the First Division.
Across all competitions he has netted 57 times, including crucial goals at Wembley, in an FA Cup semi‑final, and in European fixtures. He also holds the record for most goals in a single European campaign for Wolves, with strikes against Crusaders in Northern Ireland, Pyunik Yerevan in Armenia, Torino and Slovan Bratislava, and a memorable goal in the rain‑soaked match at Braga. Those moments live on in the collective memory of travelling fans and form an essential part of the club’s lore. Tragically, his career was interrupted by a fractured skull suffered in a collision with David Luiz during an away game at Arsenal.
The injury occurred amid the pandemic, casting a dark shadow over an already eerie silence in the stadium. The road back was long and fraught with physical and mental scars. While he has yet to replicate his pre‑injury form – he has not scored a headed goal for Wolves since the accident – his perseverance has only deepened the bond with the supporters.
Jiménez and his family have repeatedly expressed how much the fans’ support meant during his recovery, and that gratitude has drawn them back to Wolverhampton. This is a family decision: his partner Daniela, mother of their two children, has embraced the city, even taking part in a gender‑reveal celebration on the Molineux pitch.
Their connection to the community reinforces the emotional weight of the reunion. When Jiménez left the club after falling out of favour under Julen Lopetegui, his departure felt unfinished. He was seen crying after an Everton match in May 2023, a poignant farewell from the bench.
Returning now offers a chance to rewrite that ending and reaffirm his place in the emotional architecture of Wolves. The absence of his former strike partner Diogo Jota adds further poignancy, underscoring how much the club values this reunion. Can he still deliver on the pitch? Optimism is justified – he scored three goals in four games at the recent World Cup, showing that his instinct for goal remains sharp.
Bookmakers list him as the favourite to win the Championship’s golden boot. His penalty record is flawless – he has converted every Premier League spot‑kick he has taken – suggesting a realistic target of 20 or more goals if he stays fit.
Whether the team can provide the service he needs is another question. New manager César Peixoto is still shaping his squad and tactical approach, so success is not guaranteed. Yet the narrative mirrors that of Steve Bull, who spent a decade in the second tier without ever achieving promotion, yet cemented his legend through relentless goal‑scoring and unforgettable moments. Bull stayed; Jiménez has returned.
And Wolves now have their iconic No.9 back where he belongs, ready to write the next chapter of their story together.