Express & Star

Wolves monitoring Raul Jimenez workload

Wolves are being 'careful' with Raul Jimenez's workload, Nuno Espirito Santo has stated, as he revealed the striker is still recovering from a broken wrist.

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Jimenez has already played 41 times for club and country in 2019 – scoring 23 goals including six in his last eight.

After Thursday's Europa League play-off second leg against Torino and Sunday's trip to Everton he'll jet off to America for two friendlies with Mexico (against USA and Argentina).

Nuno said he and his backroom team were 'preparing' other options to make the Jimenez situation more balanced. Jimenez only had two weeks off in the summer, but the boss insists that's not a problem.

"He's doing very well, helping the team knowing that sometimes even with heavy legs he still goes," Nuno said.

"Normally after 75 minutes of running 12k, he'll have heavy legs. But this is the way we want, he's healthy and able to do all the games in the same intensity.

"We've been dealing with that, we prepare. Sometimes in the holidays the real problem is when the players go out of shape, so in two weeks (that didn't happen). We've been managing since the beginning of the season his loads in training sessions but also the games.

"We have to be careful with that, knowing the other options we are preparing and there'll be a moment when everything will be balanced."

The striker broke a bone in his wrist in March and has been wearing a protective cast on his arm ever since.

Nuno added: "He has a problem, he broke it. He needs it to protect him.

"You know I don't like to individualise things, all the players have been fantastic, every day. We are pleased with that. He has to protect himself if he has a problem there."

If Wolves progress through Thursday's tie the draw for the Europa League group stage takes place at 12pm on Friday.