Still no timeframe on Raul Jimenez’s Wolves return

Raul Jimenez File Photo
(Image credit: Jan Kruger)

Wolves take on Aston Villa still waiting on a timeframe for when Raul Jimenez can return from a fractured skull suffered earlier this month.

The striker is out of hospital after surgery and visited the club’s training ground this week having suffered the injury in a clash of heads with David Luiz at Arsenal.

Wing-back Jonny remains sidelined with the serious knee injury he sustained at the end of last season.

Ross Barkley is making progress in his recovery from injury but the Villa midfielder will not be fit in time for the trip to Molinuex.

The 27-year-old, on a season-long loan from Chelsea, suffered a hamstring injury early in the home defeat to Brighton last month but defender Bjorn Engels is back in contention after a long lay-off with a thigh injury.

The game is likely to come too soon for Keinan Davis (ankle) but Tom Heaton is closing in on a return having been out since January with a serious knee injury although Wesley (knee) remains sidelined until next year.

Wolves provisional squad: Patricio, Ruddy, Kilman, Boly, Coady, Saiss, Dendoncker, Hoever, Marcal, Buur, Semedo, Ait-Nouri, Vitinha, Neves, Moutinho, Traore, Neto, Podence, Silva.

Aston Villa provisional squad: Martinez, Steer, Cash, Guilbert, Konsa, Hause, Mings, Engels, Targett, Taylor, Luiz, McGinn, Grealish, Ramsey, Trezeguet, Elmohamady, Hourihane, Nakamba, El Ghazi, Traore, Watkins.