Wolves striker Raul Jimenez will be sidelined for the remainder of 2026 after undergoing surgery to address a knee injury. The 35-year-old Mexico international sustained damage to his medial collateral ligament during the Carabao Cup defeat to Everton last month. Initially, the club had hoped the injury would heal without surgical intervention, but the ligament failed to respond as expected to conservative treatment.
Phil Hayward, Wolves’ director of performance, explained that while low-grade ligament injuries typically recover on their own, Jimenez’s condition did not improve following three weeks of regular scanning. "Raul had the surgery on Friday in London, and then he'll have around three months of rehabilitation before he's ready to play again," Hayward stated.
Wolves head coach Cesar Peixoto described the news as a significant setback for the team. He emphasized Jimenez’s importance, especially given the striker’s role in penetrating defenses to create scoring opportunities. "In the last two games before the Burnley match, he would have been an important player to get inside the box to try to score," Peixoto commented. He also revealed that the initial medical assessment had been more optimistic regarding the injury's severity. "At the beginning, the doctor thought it was not too bad. But after one month, we have this setback. It is frustrating for us, but now we have to help Raul to recover as soon as possible," the coach added.
Despite the disappointment, Peixoto noted Jimenez’s positive attitude throughout the process. He said, "Raul is very positive, which I am surprised about. I looked at him, he was smiling with good vibes."
The news comes as Wolves look to build momentum following a challenging spell that included consecutive defeats to Middlesbrough and Bolton, prior to a recent victory over Burnley. Jimenez’s absence will require adjustments from Peixoto and the squad as they navigate the rest of the season.
In related football developments, the Emirates FA Cup first round proper draw is scheduled for tomorrow, featuring the entry of clubs from League One and League Two. The draw will be conducted live on TNT Sports at 6:35 p.m., hosted by Matt Smith with Martin Keown and Fara Williams overseeing proceedings. Fans can watch the draw on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max, and the TNT Sports YouTube channel. Matches for the first round proper are set to take place around the weekend of November 7.