Jhon Arias returns to Maracanã to face Fluminense after Palmeiras deal | OneFootball

Jhon Arias will be one of the main attractions in Fluminense vs. Palmeiras this Saturday (15), at 4:30 p.m. Brasília time, at the Maracanã, in the 23rd round of the Brazilian Championship. The match will mark the Colombian’s first meeting with his former club at the stadium since his transfer to Palmeiras.

The game takes place just a few months after negotiations that put the two clubs on opposite sides in the battle to sign the player. Palmeiras won the race and signed Arias from Wolverhampton, England, for €25 million, approximately R$154.8 million at the exchange rate at the time. His contract with Verdão runs until December 2029.

Spell at Fluminense

Arias joined Fluminense in 2021 and stayed at the club until July 2025, when he was transferred to Wolverhampton. For Tricolor, he played 230 matches, scored 47 goals, and provided 55 assists.

The period was marked by major titles, especially the 2023 Copa Libertadores, as well as the Colombian establishing himself as one of the squad’s key players.

In the deal with Wolverhampton, Fluminense kept a right-of-first-refusal clause for any eventual return of the player to Brazilian football. That condition would prove decisive months later, when Arias received offers from Brazilian clubs.

Palmeiras enters the race

Arias left English football just a few months after his transfer to Wolverhampton. In the opening window of 2026, Flamengo, Palmeiras, and Fluminense all showed interest in the player.

Palmeiras submitted a €25 million offer to the English club. Since Fluminense had contractual priority in the event of Arias returning to Brazil, it was given time to match the offer.

Tricolor tried to exercise that priority, but submitted an offer of €20 million. The amount was below the €25 million offered by Palmeiras, and the Rio club did not reach the figures needed to bring the player back.

Current moment at Palmeiras

Arias has been in good form since arriving at the club. The Colombian has become one of the options used by Abel Ferreira in different areas of the attack and has also taken on a greater role in defensive actions.

In addition to his ability to play out wide, the player has also been used in more central roles, increasing his involvement in build-up play.

The first reunion has already happened

This Saturday’s match will not be the first time Arias has faced Fluminense since leaving the club.

The Colombian had already faced Tricolor for the first time as a Palmeiras player earlier in the Brazilian Championship. The difference now will be the venue: the clash will take place at the Maracanã, the stadium where Arias played many times in a Fluminense shirt.

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