Arias and Nino: Tension as Palmeiras face Fluminense in cup clash | OneFootball

Palmeiras and Fluminense face each other this Wednesday (25th), in the Brazilian Championship, in a match that carries tensions off the field. The clash could mark Jhon Arias’s first time as a starter for Verdão, precisely against the team where he reached the peak of his career in Brazil.

The Colombian made his debut for Palmeiras last Saturday (21st), in the quarterfinals of the Paulista Championship, coming on in the second half during the 4-0 thrashing of Capivariano. Now, he emerges as an option to start against his former club.

Negotiation involved a dispute with Flu

The transfer stirred up the backstage of the market. Fluminense had priority in a possible buyback of the player and even considered entering the negotiation when Arias returned to the Brazilian radar, amid Wolverhampton’s delicate moment in England.

At first, the Colombian indicated that Fluminense would be his preference if he returned to the country. However, it was Palmeiras who presented the sporting and financial guarantees desired by the player and managed to close the deal.

Verdão offered 25 million euros to the English club, a proposal that was accepted. Fluminense, which had sold Arias for 17 million euros, with the possibility of reaching 22 million with performance bonuses, tried to match the offer but reached its limit at 20 million euros.

At Fluminense, Arias was the main figure in the 2023 Libertadores victory, won a Campeonato Carioca, and played a decisive role in the team’s semifinal campaign at the Club World Cup in July 2025.

At Wolverhampton, the Colombian played 26 matches in six months, with two goals and one assist. The team’s poor campaign in the Premier League, however, paved the way for Palmeiras’s move at the start of 2026.

Now, eighteen days after being announced at Palmeiras, Arias faces Fluminense for the first time.

The Nino Case

Palmeiras remains interested in another former Fluminense player. Nino has become Abel Ferreira’s main target and also the club president’s, as he meets all the criteria outlined in the plan, such as leadership profile, age, and full knowledge of Brazilian football without the need for adaptation.

NP reported, on January 17th, that Palmeiras already has a preliminary agreement with the defender regarding contractual matters. The Alviverde signaled a four-year deal proposal for the player.

Despite the positive outlook with Nino, Verdão has not managed to convince Zenit to release the player at this time. An emissary traveled to Abu Dhabi, where the club was holding preseason, in recent weeks to try to unlock the negotiation, but without success.

However, there is good expectation within Palmeiras that the Russian team will release the defender in the next transfer window. Leila Pereira and the Palmeiras board will continue with the strategy of constant contact with the player, since Fluminense also wants to sign him and will be a competitor.

Palmeiras’s next match

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