Palmeiras set Jhon Arias return for Saturday as squad nears full strength | OneFootball

Jhon Arias is scheduled to report back to Palmeiras on Saturday at the Academia de Futebol, moving the club closer to a full squad for the remainder of the season.

According to Globo.com, the forward had been on leave since Colombia’s World Cup exit, reuniting with family and holidaying in Mexico. He is due back in Brazil on Wednesday, with Friday a rest day for the squad.

Palmeiras had monitored his physical load after a long stretch without a proper break, but updates from the Colombian camp were encouraging for the second half of the year.

Arias did not show marked fatigue during the tournament, starting every Colombia game before their quarter-final defeat to Switzerland. The expectation is that he returns in good shape.

He could be involved in the first match after the World Cup, away to Coritiba on Wednesday 22 July at 19:30 in the Brasileirão. As with the rest of the squad, he will undergo tests on return.

His comeback leaves only fellow forward Flaco López still away, after Argentina reached the World Cup semi-finals. His return schedule has not yet been defined.

In recent weeks, Piquerez and Emiliano Martínez, who represented Uruguay, rejoined, as did Gustavo Gómez, Ramón Sosa and Mauricio with Paraguay, and Giay, who took part in Argentina’s World Cup preparation.

Source: Globo.com