The Mexican’s Molineux move, initially on loan, looked overpriced for somebody who had never made over eight starts in a league season when playing in Europe.
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will be the 28-year-old’s newest suitors with ESPN asserting the North London rivals will do battle to sign the prior Atlético Madrid and Benfica ahead this summer.
This year alone, Jiménez has 22 goals and 13 at the Premier League. Others have come from the Europa League where Wolves have demonstrated something of a surprise package.
There is nothing surprising about Jiménez anymore, however.
He’s an ideal modern-day striker, capable of doing a lot more than placing the ball at the back of the net yet still unerringly brilliant at that also. Ten of the 13 Premier League strikes have been from open play and he’s also chipped in with six assists.
Of the players to have scored more this year, just Liverpool talisman Mohammed Salah can match this, which provides a sign of his caliber as a creator. In addition to that, the 13’Big Odds’ Jiménez has generated are the second-most from the top-flight with a forward.
As a goalscorer, Jiménez scores all kinds of goals. He’s netted with 11 of the ‘Big Chances’ made for him and that, coupled with the fact he chooses only 1.28 on-target shots per 90 paints the image of a very clinical ahead.
If there’s a criticism of his game then it is that he has had the most off-target shots at the Premier League (35) this year. If you don’t purchase a ticket to the lottery you are not going to win and, judging by Jiménez’s open-play shot map (below), that is clearly a belief that he subscribes to.
A whole lot of his shots are out of low-value areas; either beyond the penalty or six-yard box. In spite of this, his anticipated goals (xG)total for the season is 15.64, the greatest among Premier League forward, while his post-shot xG, that accounts for on-target shots and in which they set at the goal, stands in 15.8 that is the third-best.
A small underperformance, then, speaks for bad luck or great goalkeeping. We can find a clearer idea of which it is by looking at Jiménez’s shot-placement map (below) that details where each on-target shot he has taken this year was aimed. The corners of this goal would be the best place and while Jiménez creates a habit of hitting them.
But to speak only about the 2012 Olympic Games gold medallist’s goalscoring ability is to do him a disservice.
Despite his 6ft 3in framework, Jiménez is no slouch. One of Premier League forward, the Mexican has embarked on the fourth-most quickly breaks per 90 (0.51) this year. However, his physical attributes are still impressive and he’s a great deal for centre-backs to deal with.
He is surprisingly agile too, just witness his magnificent torso control and volley to score against Watford in last year’s FA Cup semi-final. Possessing a powerful physique is 1 thing. Understanding how to use it to maximum effect is another completely and Jiménez certainly does.
Forwards are expected to make contributions to other areas of play, frequently to the detriment of something else. Jiménez is a rare instance of a striker who does that yet stills scores often.
He will not come cheap, but he’s a commodity no Premier League side is able to turn their nose up at.
