Wolverhampton Wanderers’ veteran striker Raúl Jiménez will be sidelined until January after the club confirmed he will undergo knee surgery this week. The 35‑year‑old Mexican international was taken off the pitch seven minutes before the break in the 1‑0 Carabao Cup loss to Everton on 16 September, and his medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury has not improved with the usual conservative treatment.
Director of performance Phil Hayward explained that an MCL injury of Jiménez’s severity typically heals on its own, but repeated scans over the past three weeks have shown the ligament is not responding as expected. “The ligament is not healing in the anticipated way,” Hayward said, adding that the operation is scheduled for Friday in London and will be followed by roughly three months of rehabilitation before the striker can return to action.
Jiménez’s absence will be felt in the upcoming fixtures, including the derby against West Bromwich Albion, where the striker was expected to start. Wolves currently sit ninth in the Championship, just outside the play‑off places on goal‑difference, and will travel to Turf Moor for a match against Burnley on Friday evening.
Alongside Jiménez’s news, Hayward provided updates on three other injured Wolves players. Rodrigo Gómez, who suffered a double ankle ligament injury, is progressing well and is expected to return soon once inflammation subsides. Bertrand Traoré, dealing with a hamstring strain in a problematic area of the muscle, is also recovering but will be monitored closely to avoid recurrence. Boubacar Traoré, who has been out with a calf issue for a couple of weeks, is back in training and is expected to resume full training within the next week or two.
The club’s medical staff will focus on a careful rehabilitation program for Jiménez, with the aim of restoring full fitness by January. Wolves will need to manage their squad depth in the interim as they continue their push for a play‑off spot in the Championship.