Wolves have done absolutely everything they can to absorb the impact of Raul Jimenez’s injury, but the truth is they just don’t have the quality in their squad to replace their talisman – which they don’t. is not an insult given that it is really brilliant.
Despite glimpses of young Fabio Silva’s potential, it was clear to all to see that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were in desperate need of a replacement striker, and they finally got their man.
– Wolves (@Wolves) 23 January 2021
Real Sociedad forward Willian Jose arrives at Molineux on loan for the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign, with Wolves having the option of signing the Brazilian permanently at the end of the season if they so choose.
The 29-year-old will likely play a big role in the second half of the campaign, so it’s time to get to know Wolves’ new signing.
Willian Jose started his professional career at Barueri’s Brazilian side before moving to Deportivo Maldonado (where he spent five interesting years, but more on that soon).
At 22, he left his native Brazil and made the leap into European football, and what better place to start than Real Madrid.
After impressing in the lower leagues with Team B, Willian Jose was promoted to the senior Real team, although he would only make one appearance for the Spanish behemoths before his loan deal expired. .
While you probably know very little about the life and career of Willian Jose, the name Probably rings a bell – and not just because it sounds like a Football Manager regeneration.
The Brazilian has garnered a lot of interest from the Premier League in recent years, with Everton and more recently Tottenham keeping an eye on leaders Real Sociedad.
And it wasn’t just England’s sides who courted him, Barcelona have also reportedly been watching his performances before signing Martin Braithwaite last season.
It seems odd to describe a 29-year-old who has only ever had three permanent clubs in his career as a “journeyman” – but that’s about what he is.
Wolves have become the seventh team to sign Willian Jose on a temporary basis since 2011, his former club Deportivo Maldonado dispatching him on loan no less than six times in just four years.
Despite his obvious potential, the Brazilian never made an appearance for Deportivo Maldonado during his five years at the club, before eventually securing a permanent transfer to Real Sociedad in 2016.
Willian Jose is yet to be crowned by the Brazilian senior squad, however, he has won his fair share of winner’s medals as part of his country’s youth teams.
The forward has enjoyed success in both the Under-20 World Cup and the South American Youth Championship alongside stellar names such as Neymar, Philippe Coutinho, Oscar and Lucas Moura.
Now let’s move on to the important question. Is it a short-sighted, knee-jerk reaction from the Wolves to bring in an attacker, or did they take their time choosing the right man to fill Jimenez’s boots?
Come on now, if the past few years have taught us anything it’s that the Wolves transfer squad knows what they’re doing.
At 6-3, Willian Jose is a great focal point and he has the strength to keep defenders out of the way and bring others into play. Last season he won 55% of his aerial duels over 42% from Jimenez, and while his stats don’t seem prolific, he scored 11 league goals last season – just two short of Jimenez when you dodge penalties.
So in answer to our original question – yes, he can certainly fill the void left by the Wolves’ Mexican hitman.
