Manchester United left-back Alex Telles has sent Wolverhampton Wanderers’ striker Raul Jimenez a message after the Mexican fractured his skull.
Jimenez required immediate surgery on the head injury, which was sustained following a clash of heads in the opening minutes of Wolves’ 2-1 win over Arsenal last month.
The 29-year-old is recovering at home and while no timescale has been put on his return, the club are optimistic about his recovery.
Telles has reassured Jimenez about his prospects after the United full-back sustained a similar injury in February 2013 while playing for Gremio in his native Brazil.
“It was from football, when I was playing for Gremio. It was the Gre-Nal derby, Fred was playing for Inter at the time, we were rivals,” he told club magazine Inside United.
“It was a high ball and I clashed heads with an Internacional player. I ended up with a depressed facial fracture here at the front [points]. It was a very similar injury to the one Wolverhampton's Jimenez suffered this week. It was a very similar situation.
“I ended up fracturing this part at the front and my nose. It was a very difficult and complicated moment for me, but I also learnt a lot whilst I was out. I was out for about two-and-a-half to three months.
“I had to have an operation on my head to reconstruct the skull bone. The scar is now part of my identity, a reminder of my story for the rest of my life.”
Telles, who was just 19 at the time, suffered a broken nose, cheekbone and eye socket and had metal plates and screws inserted into his face.
Although he still bears the scars of that incident, which kept him sidelined for around three months, he has a positive message for Jimenez.
“What I can say to Raul is that unfortunately this type of scenario exists in football. It's not normal but it happens,” he said.
“I've been through it as well and I'd like to wish him a lot of strength. He will definitely recover and, thank God, it wasn't so serious and he will be able to get back playing as soon as possible, doing what he loves the most.
“Us players have to have this solidarity and I wish him well and that he gets better soon.”
