Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa set to make Wolves debut at West Ham on Saturday

Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa set to make Wolves debut at West Ham on Saturday amid doubts over fitness of Raul Jimenez and Sasa Kalajdzic ruled out by knee injury

  • Costa began full training with Wolves before the international break
  • And the 33-year-old is believed to have impressed Bruno Lage and his staff
  • Jimenez has been struggling with a groin injury he suffered earlier this month 
  • Summer signing Kalajdzic faces lengthy lay-off due to knee ligament damage 

Diego Costa is in line to make his Wolves debut at West Ham on Saturday as doubts surround the fitness of Raul Jimenez.

Jimenez has been struggling with a groin injury that saw him pull up in the warm-up before the 1-0 win over Southampton on September 3, and Mexico boss Gerardo Martino admitted he was ‘worried’ about the centre-forward this week.

With summer signing Sasa Kalajdzic out for the long-term with knee ligament damage, that means Costa will have a significant role to play when Premier League action resumes, especially with Wolves having scored only three times in the competition this term.

Striker Diego Costa is in line to make his Wolves debut at West Ham on Saturday

The former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid man has not played a competitive game this year and left Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro last December, but began full training with Wolves before the international break and is believed to have impressed boss Bruno Lage and his staff. 

Costa, 33, won two Premier League titles with Chelsea between 2014-17 and has signed a deal at Molineux until the end of the campaign.

Jimenez made a miraculous return to top-level football after fracturing his skull in November 2020 and remains a key man for Mexico as they prepare for the tournament in Qatar, where they open their campaign against Poland on November 22.

Martino said: ‘I am optimistic. The injury is worrying, but the goal is to help him recover and not throw in the towel, to think he’s going to get there. Don’t change your mindset. When I went for a meal with him I saw that he is positive. We have to take care of his injury and he shouldn’t stop being positive.’

The 33-year-old began full training with Wolves before the international break

Mexico boss Gerardo Martino admitted he was ‘worried’ about Raul Jimenez this week

Mexico boss Gerardo Martino admitted he was ‘worried’ about Raul Jimenez this week

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