Mexico striker Raul Jimenez has finalised his return to Wolves on a free transfer, ahead of spearheading El Tri's home World Cup campaign.

Jimenez previously represented Wolves from 2018 to 2023, becoming their all-time leading Premier League goalscorer by netting 40 times in 135 league appearances.

He helped them finish seventh in back-to-back campaigns, scoring 13 Premier League goals in 2018-19 and 17 in 2019-20, before suffering a fractured skull during a game against Arsenal in November 2020.

He returned from that injury to spend two more seasons at Molineux before joining Fulham, scoring 28 Premier League goals in three campaigns at Craven Cottage. 

The 35-year-old will now look to help Wolves win promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt, after their dismal 2025-26 campaign resulted in relegation to the Championship. 

Jimenez has signed a two-year contract with the option to extend his stay for a further 12 months, with head coach Rob Edwards expecting the striker to have a major impact.

"He was involved in the club's greatest time for a number of years, and he was a big part of that," Edwards told Wolves' website.

"I know what he means to the football club and to the supporters, but this is not a signing we've made just because it's an emotional one.

"This is a signing we've made because we really believe that he's the right man to be able to help us achieve our aims, so we're delighted to have him."

Jimenez is Wolves' second signing of the summer, with Kieran Trippier also arriving on a free transfer after leaving Newcastle United. 

Jimenez is currently preparing for Mexico's World Cup opener against South Africa on Thursday, with El Tri serving as tournament hosts for a record-breaking third time.

Mexico are unbeaten in their last seven World Cup openers, with five wins and two draws. Their last defeat in an opening match came in 1994, when they lost 1-0 to Norway.