Chelsea could bring'clinical'£30m striker to Stamford Bridge

If Chelsea bring in Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez this summer, then it would be a ‘sensible signing’, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

The 31-year-old has been linked with a move away from Molineux in recent weeks after struggling for form this season and could be a target for the Blues.

Jimenez arrived at Wolves on an initial season-long loan deal from Benfica back in July 2018, and after registering 17 goals and eight assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, his move was made permanent for £30 million.

The Mexico international then elevated his game to new heights the following campaign, finding the back of the net on 27 occasions while also setting up a further 10 strikes in 55 outings.

However, Jimenez suffered a horrendous fractured skull injury in November 2020, and although he thankfully made a full recovery and has returned to action, he’s been unable to find his best form since.

Despite being Wolves’ joint-top scorer this season, the 6 foot 3 ace has still only scored six goals and has now reportedly been made available for transfer by his manager Bruno Lage.

According to Crook himself, Wolves are ‘open to offers’ for Jimenez and would be willing to accept bids in the region of £15m with a report to Spain potentially on the cards.

While Crook stated that Jimenez will ‘probably go abroad’ this summer, he refused to rule out the possibility of the forward joining Chelsea.

He told GiveMeSport: “He’ll probably go abroad, but if you look at Chelsea, for example, if they’re looking for a centre-forward to come in and compliment what they’ve got, and someone who’s available cheaply and knows the league, then that could be quite a sensible signing for them.

Chelsea splashed out a club-record fee to bring Romelu Lukaku back to the club last summer, allowing Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud to depart.

Yet things have not gone to plan for the Belgium international, who has notched up an underwhelming 15 strikes and two assists in 43 games throughout 2021/22.

Adding some extra firepower to his forward line may be high on Thomas Tuchel’s wish list, therefore, but Chelsea’s ownership uncertainty may make his transfer plans rather complicated.

If the German tactician only has a limited budget, then Jimenez, who was labelled “clinical” by Alan Shearer in February, could be a viable option for Chelsea as they look to provide some cover and competition for Lukaku.