Wolves have announced that Mexican striker Raul Jimenez has “healed well” from his gruesome and terrifying skull fracture against Arsenal and that they “hope and expect that Raul will be able to play a full part in Wolves’ 2021/22 season.”
Jimenez, who turned 30 earlier this month, was injured in a head-to-head collision with David Luiz on Nov. 29 and rushed to the hospital where he would eventually undergo surgery on his fractured skull.
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The Mexican center forward remained in the hospital until Dec. 8 but there were positive updates a-plenty and even hope that he’d return at some point this Premier League season. Mexican boss Tata Martino thought Jimenez could be a part of the Olympic roster.
Here are some of the words from Wolves club doctor Matt Perry.
“His skull fracture has now healed well; He will wear a protective headguard to cover the area of bony injury for the remainder of his career, but it is adjudged strong enough for him to return to play with this protection. A brain injury such as concussion can take weeks and months to recover fully and TBI will sometimes leave lasting deficits. It is wonderful to be able to say that Raul has made a remarkable and excellent recovery to date.
“He has no measurable signs of deficit and is now at the stage when he can contemplate a return to the career he loves; but a degree of caution is still required. Raul has been able to progress from basic fitness work into full competitive training from early March; only holding back on powered heading and aerial duels. He has now received the all clear to start these activities and is physically as fit, strong and agile as ever.
“Further match-based rehabilitation will start in July and will be tightly controlled initially. This respects the fact that although his recovery appears to be total there is a big step from training to competition.”
The club continues to underscore how grave Jimenez’s situation was in the moments after his injury, lauding hospital workers on saving Jimenez’s life.
“We are hugely grateful to Professor Tony Belli and Miss Sophie Camp with their guidance and advice on his management, and Miss Camp and her colleagues at St Mary’s for the life and career saving surgery in the few hours that followed Raul’s initial injury. We hope and expect that Raul will be able to play a full part in Wolves’ 2021/22 season.”
It’s good to see and we hope Jimenez has no setbacks and returns safely to regain his status as complete star center forward.