Raul Jimenez unique: Fulham striker feels he’s again to his ‘finest model’ after ‘lengthy journey’ from cranium fracture

“I’m happy to be back.”

Raul Jimenez believes he has lastly rediscovered himself after his sickening head harm in November 2020.

The life-threatening second noticed the then-Wolves man knocked unconscious in a match towards Arsenal following a horrific conflict of heads with Gunners defender David Luiz.

It took Jimenez 9 months to return from fracturing his cranium to enjoying once more – however in actuality, it has taken the Fulham striker over 4 years to actually recuperate.

Six objectives in all competitions this season and an aesthetic backheeled help towards Manchester Metropolis in October exhibits he has recaptured his magic.

“It has been a long, long journey,” he completely tells Sky Sports activities. “My first 12 months was simply restoration, doing a little workouts that I by no means imagined I used to be going to do, like simply strengthening my neck with a helmet and various things.

“Then coming again to the Premier League to face the video games once more, it was actually good and superb.

“After all those things, maybe the doctors were not that confident that I was going to make it to play again. But it was never out of my mind that I was coming back.

“I got here again a 12 months after, however I feel I got here again to my finest model not too way back, so I am blissful to be again.

“I still have much to give for Fulham and for football.”

A turning level for the Mexican got here simply earlier than the third anniversary of his head harm.

A purpose in Fulham’s 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa in November final 12 months ended his 33-game scoring drought within the Premier League. Since that strike, Jimenez has netted 12 objectives in all competitions for the Cottagers, together with 5 within the league this season.

“I knew when the first one came, they were going to be coming,” he says. “Well, they came but then after I unfortunately got an injury, I broke that momentum.

“Nevertheless it’s soccer that issues occur after which on the finish, I completed the season with two objectives at Luton.

“This season I started on the bench, then when I started playing I started to score goals as well.

“I do know I’ve 5 objectives, it possibly might be eight or 9, nevertheless it’s like this, generally you are going to rating, generally you are going to miss. However I’ll maintain making an attempt and maintain going for that.”

‘I’m playing with freedom now’

A carefree attitude is behind his resurgence, which was key to his “nice end” in Fulham’s draw against Arsenal earlier this month.

“I really feel actually good, enjoying free,” he reveals. “My first 12 months right here at Fulham, it wasn’t my finest. Now this 12 months has been higher.

“I’m trying to do my best every game, helping the team with goals, assists and creating spaces for other players to score.

“I prefer to be right here and enjoying with that freedom. It is not that I do not thoughts if I miss a ball or if I do not rating a purpose nevertheless it’s one thing that, ‘Okay, if I miss there’s going to be the following one and the following one I’ll do it proper’, so I’ve that feeling that I can do higher issues after I’m free.”

Jimenez’s renaissance has much to do with Fulham boss Marco Silva.

The Portuguese took a gamble on the ex-Benfica forward in July 2023 after signing him from Wolves for £5.5m.

At that time, Jimenez had not scored in the Premier League since March 2022 raising serious doubts over whether he was a suitable replacement for the talismanic Aleksandar Mitrovic following his big-money move to Saudi Arabia.

But despite a slow start, Jimenez is now repaying Silva’s faith.

“We trusted him when no one in the Premier League trusted him,” Silva mentioned of Jimenez final month.

“We are the ones that trusted him in a difficult moment of his career. We are really pleased with his momentum and the way we helped him get back to his best again.”

It’s no marvel Jimenez speaks so glowingly of the 47-year-old.

“He’s [Silva] really important,” he reveals. “He called me last summer [2023] and he told me that he wanted me to be here. He wanted me to be the striker here in the team.

“They had been on the lookout for one and he thought that it was a very good thought as a result of he knew I nonetheless had it.

“He told me the last game we played against you when I was at Wolves, I knew you had it so I’m thinking about you and I want you to come. So that confidence brings you more confidence.”

‘I am like an enormous brother to Muniz’

Wholesome competitors with fellow striker Rodrigo Muniz can be driving Jimenez’s rejuvenation.

With eight extra Premier League begins and 4 extra objectives in all competitions, 33-year-old Jimenez is belying the last decade age hole between them.

He says of his relationship with Muniz: “I think it’s one of the best rivalries if you want to call it that, because we are playing for the same position.

“I’ve been somewhere else that possibly one other striker does not need me to attain for him to play, however right here it is totally different. I feel each second that I rating, that he scores, we’re blissful.

“It’s a 10-year age difference, but I try to help him in what I can. I try to be like a big brother to him to show the good things.”

And their sibling-like love was on view within the automobile park afterwards because the pair joked round upon Muniz’s arrival. The Fulham coaching floor is only a feel-good place proper now.

The west Londoners sit eighth and are 4 factors off the highest 4. Silva’s aspect are on a four-game unbeaten run, together with attracts towards title challengers Liverpool and Arsenal.

Jimenez feels they’re “aiming for big things” and describes this Premier League season as “crazy”, with solely six factors separating fourth-placed Nottingham Forest and Thirteenth-placed Manchester United.

However the place Fulham have struggled thus far is towards groups on the different finish of the desk. Their final defeat got here towards second-bottom Wolves, whereas they drew at strugglers Ipswich and Everton.

Sunday’s residence sport towards managerless bottom-club Southampton, reside on Sky Sports activities, feels must-win if Fulham wish to be critical contenders for a European place.

“It’s going to be difficult because they sacked the manager [Russell Martin],” Jimenez says. “Sometimes that plays with them. They get more focused on the game as well, so we need to be prepared.

“They’re on the very backside however that does not change something. Our thoughts must be: we’re at residence, we have to win this sport and to maintain climbing the desk.

“All the last games we were doing great things, but it won’t be good if you don’t win this game at home against one of the bottom teams. So those are maybe the most important games when you think you’re going to get the point, but you need to play the game first to get them and be sure that you can fight for higher things.”

For Jimenez, there’s an added incentive to profit his relegation-threatened former membership Wolves, the place he scored 57 objectives in 166 video games throughout 5 seasons.

Requested whether or not he’s considering of serving to the Previous Gold with a win over Saints, he replies: “Yeah, of course. I’m always going to be supporting Wolves because it’s a club that gave me a lot of things.

“I do not need them to get relegated in fact, but in addition if we can assist them in these sorts of issues.

“But if we face them again now in Wolverhampton for sure I want to win, but in this case I want to help them.”

Jimenez eyeing Premier League report

This weekend’s match towards Southampton might be a landmark one for Jimenez.

If he scores twice he’ll turn into the main Mexican goalscorer within the Premier League overtaking Javier Hernandez’s 53 objectives for Manchester United and West Ham.

“All the social media is with that every time that I score, so I’m aware of it,” he reveals. “It will be an honour. I hope before the year is finished, I get that record for myself and I want to keep scoring to make it bigger.”

So might Sunday be the day he breaks the report?

“Why not?” he says. “I want to aim for that. I want to be targeting, but we never know.

“We go along with calm – possibly I do not rating or possibly I make a hat-trick! It could occur. However I am actually blissful that I could make that come to me.”

He adds: “Perhaps if that [the head injury] did not occur in that second, possibly I’d have damaged the report years in the past. However issues occur for a factor and I’ve the chance for it, and I am actually blissful for that.

“I’m going to be aiming for this. I still have three games this year and, well, I hope before that I’ll make it.”

Whether or not he reaches the milestone on Sunday or someday subsequent 12 months, it’s going to mark one other extraordinary chapter in Jimenez’s outstanding return from his cranium fracture.

Watch Fulham vs Southampton reside on Sky Sports activities Premier League on Sunday; kick-off 2pm.