Raul Jimenez has certainly tarnished his relationship with Wolves fans over the past few months and Julen Lopetegui should look to get rid of the 31-year-old after the World Cup break.

The former Benfica man was once a fan favourite at Molineux and with good reason, as he hit a combined 30 goals in his first two Premier League seasons with the Old Gold.

However, a horrible fractured skull injury saw him miss much of the 2020/21 season and he has sadly never been the same, with just six goals to his name in the entirety of the 2021/22 campaign.

Further injury problems have seen the Mexican striker manage just four appearances in all competitions so far this term and the Old Gold have certainly missed his presence up top, as they sit bottom of the Premier League goal with just eight goals in 15 top-flight fixtures.

Fans will have been hoping that the World Cup break would allow the forward to return to fitness before playing a big part in their fight against relegation, but instead, he would travel to Qatar with the Mexico team for the World Cup, despite not featuring for the Old Gold since August.

That decision has certainly strained the relationship between Wolves and the Mexican national side, with fans perhaps wondering why he is prioritising his country over the club that pays his wages.

Former manager Bruno Lage suggested that Jimenez's injury issues were stemmed from chronic fatigue, which begs the question of why he can be considered fit enough to feature for Mexico in Qatar.

He featured from the bench in their Group C opener against Poland on Tuesday afternoon but did little to impress, with Mexican journalist Zuni suggesting that he is "ready to retire."

The Wolves frontman, who earns around £41k-per-week at Molineux, played 19 minutes in Qatar but failed to contribute a single shot, key pass, dribble or successful duel against Poland, so it seems clear that he was a long way from his best.

Lopetegui will surely not have been impressed with Jimenez's decision to go to the World Cup and if he is backed in the transfer market in January, it would not be a surprise to see the Spanish manager bring in a new striker as his replacement, as his poor form and attitude have perhaps ruined his legacy at Molineux.