'Happy to continue in England' - Mexico international Raúl Jiménez confirms desire to extend contract with Fulham

Raúl Jiménez’s future appears to be with Fulham in the Premier League for next season, as the striker revealed his desire to reach a contract extension with his current club. The Mexico international joined the Cottagers two seasons ago and talks for a new deal could soon be underway.

“I hope the option to stay at Fulham, in the Premier League, gets activated. The club can trigger it, and I’d be happy to continue in England,” the striker said in an interview with TNT Sports.

Jiménez and Fulham are enjoying a great run in the current Premier League season. The club sits in eighth place with 48 points and is pushing for a spot in European competition next season. The striker has tallied 10 goals and three assists in 31 matches. The former Wolverhampton forward has also scored in both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup this campaign.

Jiménez is looking to stay in the Premier League for at least one more year. The 33-year-old forward is entering the final stretch of his career, but he’s well aware that the World Cup is coming up next year and he wants to be in top form to earn a spot on Javier Aguirre’s squad for the tournament.

Jiménez has enjoyed the best years of his career in England, most notably with Wolverhampton, where he scored 57 goals in 166 matches. His numbers with Fulham aren’t bad either - he’s found the back of the net 19 times in 65 appearances.

After his standout performance in the recent CONCACAF Nations League, where he led Mexico to their first title in the competition, Jiménez once again proved that he still has plenty to offer El Tri.

Having regained the level he had prior to the skull fracture he suffered in 2020, the striker knows that staying in peak physical condition and playing in one of the world’s top leagues will make him a key player for "El Vasco" as the national team prepares for the World Cup.

The former Club América player spoke about the skull fracture he sustained after a head-to-head collision with Brazilian defender David Luiz in 2020, back when he was still playing for Wolverhampton. Jiménez was sidelined for nine months and nearly had to retire from football.

"I don’t think what happened with him was intentional," he said. "He’s always been a very fierce competitor, and I don’t hold any resentment toward him. It’s something that happened on the pitch, and that’s where it stays. I have nothing against him.

"We actually spoke at the time - after the accident, I would get messages from him on my phone. Later on, when they came to play at Wolverhampton and I was up in the stands, he got sent off, and as soon as he left the pitch, he knew where I was sitting and came up to see me.”

Marco Silva’s side faces a tough test in Matchday 32 of the Premier League when they visit Bournemouth. Fulham, currently eighth in the standings with 48 points, holds just a three-point lead over the Cherries.