For a considerable period of time it looked as though Wolves would fail to bring a striker to Molineux.However, that changed on Wednesday afternoon after news emerged from Spain.
What’s the word?
According to news from Ser Deportivos, relayed by journalist Tim Spiers, Wolves are on the verge of signing Willian Jose from Real Sociedad.
He claims that Wolves have acted quickly after losing their last two games and are now trying to bring the 29-year-old to Molineux on loan.
The deal is set to include an option to buy the striker in the summer but according to Fabrizio Romano, there are still terms to be agreed.
He reveals that the loan fee and option to buy price is to be negotiated over the coming days.
Perfect Jimenez replacement
If you could cherry-pick the best Raul Jimenez replacements from around Europe then it is incredibly likely that Jose would appear high up on the list.
Jimenez, of course, has been missing for a while now after sustaining a fractured skull against Arsenal and since he’s been absent, the club have won just two of their last ten games.
Signing a new forward, especially one who matches the qualities of Jimenez, was absolutely imperative.
Jose is a natural goal scorer and he proved as much just hours after being linked with Wolves on Wednesday. The Brazilian netted two goals in a 2-0 victory over Cordoba in the Copa del Rey, one of which included a lovely crisp strike from the edge of the area.
Spiers describes Jose as a “Giroud-type striker†and it’s clear to see why based on the stats, a set of numbers that make him comparable to Jimenez.
For starters, there is just an inch in height between them, while they win a similar number of aerial duels per game. Wolves’ Mexican sensation has won 1.5 aerial battles a match in the Premier League this term compared to Jose’s tally of 1.1.
Though, he brings further elements of power according to Terry Gibson who said the following a few years ago: “Willian Jose is the type of striker who could flourish in the Premier League. He's been linked with Premier League clubs in the past. He's physical, very fast, is improving season-by-season and is now an accomplished centre forward."
When signing a striker, supporters will often look towards their goal record and they needn’t fear about the Sociedad forward’s record in that regard.
He has scored 62 in 170 for the Spanish club – six of which have come in 2020/21. It’s not the most eye-catching number this term, but the £34k-per-week earner is a very capable and physical striker.