Fluminense stall Bouanga talks to hijack Palmeiras and bring Arias back | OneFootball

Fluminense’s planning for their attack has taken a new direction in recent hours. Negotiations with French-Gabonese striker Denis Bouanga, from Los Angeles FC, have been put on hold by the club’s management. The reason has a familiar name for the fans: Jhon Arias.

According to information from the Lance! portal, the Tricolor decided to hit the brakes on talks for the MLS top scorer in order to mobilize its board and study the financial feasibility of bringing back the Colombian, who currently plays for Wolverhampton and has received a hefty offer from Palmeiras.

The “Arias Clause” and the race against time

Fluminense has a right of first refusal clause in Arias’s sale contract, which allows the club to match any offer from a Brazilian team to keep the player. However, the mission is financially complex, as Palmeiras has offered 25 million euros (about R$ 154 million).

There is an internal movement at Laranjeiras studying alternatives to make this operation viable, but time is short—the decision must be made by this Wednesday.

Top Scorer or Idol?

The decision to pause Bouanga’s arrival creates a tactical and financial dilemma.

Denis Bouanga is the “goal scorer” requested for Zubeldía’s team. The second top scorer in MLS (behind only Messi), he would cost 15 million dollars (R$ 78 million), practically half the price of Arias.

Jhon Arias, an idol beloved by the fans, would cost about R$ 70 million more than Bouanga. Furthermore, Flu recently signed Savarino, who plays precisely on the right side of the field, Arias’s original position.

At the moment, the board’s total focus is on assessing whether it’s possible to outmaneuver their São Paulo rival, leaving the arrival of the MLS top scorer as a secondary priority.

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