Arias on choosing Palmeiras: "I want to be champions again" | OneFootball

Jhon Arias was introduced as a new addition to Palmeiras on the afternoon of this Friday, at the Football Academy. With Fluminense and Flamengo competing for his signing, the attacking midfielder revealed what motivated his choice for the club and has already made himself available to coach Abel Ferreira to debut in the team.

“Fluminense is a club for which I have great respect, a big history there, everyone knows that. Everyone knows that football is very dynamic. Palmeiras was the club that opened up the possibility for me within my reality and what I need in my career,” he began.

“I have many short- and medium-term goals. I want to be in the World Cup, become a champion again, and be at a high level. Palmeiras gave me this assurance, and out of respect for Fluminense, I declined Flamengo's offer. I am happy to be here. Palmeiras gives me everything I need. It is a powerhouse in Brazil, South America, and worldwide. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we will be celebrating many titles,” he continued.

When will he debut?

Arias joined Wolverhampton in the middle of last season. In England, Arias played 26 games, scored two goals, and provided two assists. The midfielder arrived in Brazil this Friday and has not yet trained with the rest of the squad. Even so, he has already made himself available to Abel Ferreira.

“I am available. Abel will know the right time. I just arrived this morning, I haven't had contact with him and the squad yet, but it will happen in the coming days. We will determine when the right moment to debut will be. But I am eager to be on the field, to help, and to show that I am in the right place. We will decide the exact date in the coming days,” he declared.

“Respectful negotiation”

Before starting Jhon Arias's presentation press conference, president Leila Pereira revealed that the athlete was already a “long-standing desire” of the club. Palmeiras was one of the clubs that tried to take the Colombian from Fluminense before his move to Wolverhampton.

“We had this first contact several weeks ago. Palmeiras inquired about my conditions and knew everything involved. It was very respectful on Palmeiras's part. They respected the moment and what I felt. We took it game by game because Wolverhampton's situation conditioned a lot. Palmeiras made this first contact and respected our time. I talked with my staff and family, and we understood that returning would be the best for my career for all short- and medium-term ambitions. Palmeiras kept following, and today I am happy to arrive here at a club like Palmeiras,” he revealed.

Palmeiras paid around R$ 154 million to the English team to sign Arias. The player signed a contract with the Brazilian club until December 2029. During the negotiations, the Colombian had conversations with president Leila Pereira and football director Anderson Barros, which reassured him about Palmeiras's project.

“With the president, we had an interesting video call. She, Barros, and my family were there. They showed interest in us and tried to explain what Palmeiras is because until now I only knew it as an opponent. They presented the project. It was a conversation that left us very at ease. You have this peace of mind that you are going to the right place, being wanted, going to the right place. It was a very good conversation and made me more aware,” he said.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.