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Transfers
Who is Benfica’s Raul Jimenez, the striker believed to be interesting Liverpool?
Benfica forward Raul Jimenez has refused to close the door on a move to the Premier League amid reported interest from Liverpool.
The 26-year-old has been the subject of speculation in Portugal that a sizeable bid from an English club is imminent, with Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp understood to be an admirer of his.
As quoted in the , Jimenez admitted he was attracted by the prospect of playing in the Premier League.
He said: “The Premier League is a great league, but you have to wait. I don’t close any doors and we’ll see what happens. I’m still at Benfica. Now, I’m going to have a good vacation then go back to work with everything. I saw the [transfer rumour] came out but I don’t know anything. I was concentrating on the national team. I have a date to return to Benfica, to join the pre-season games and I’m in the club’s hands.”
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Jimenez joined Spanish side Atletico Madrid in 2014 from his native Mexico, where he had played for America, but it is since crossing the Iberian Peninsula two years ago for a club-record fee that he has flourished.
With 12 goals in 47 Primeira Liga appearances, Jimenez has established himself as an influential figure, with Benfica winning back-to-back domestic titles during his time at the club.
He also has become a mainstay of the Mexican national team and represented his country at the recent Confederations Cup in Russia, where he was bound to have been scouted.
Klopp has only completed the big-money signing of Mo Salah this transfer window and he will be keen to add more depth and quality a squad that is to embark on a Champions League adventure in the forthcoming season.
Jimenez fits the profile of a Klopp signing; he is quick, versatile and possesses an eye for goal.
With doubts surrounding the future of Daniel Sturridge, the Mexico star could be a viable option to bolster Liverpool’s attacking options.