Arias is on Fluminense’s radar and it holds an edge over Palmeiras.

Since Jhon Arias left Fluminense , his return to Brazil has been speculated during transfer windows, with Palmeiras being the latest interested party. However, for the Colombian to return to playing in Brazilian football, the decision will necessarily have to go through Fluminense.

Montenegro explains negotiations with Hulk and Savarino, and confirms Fluminense’s priority in the transfer market.

In a press conference held this Friday (16), at CT Carlos Castilho, Mattheus Montenegro explained the situation and the interest of Flu and other clubs in Arias. According to the president, there is a contractual clause that prioritizes the club.

“Regarding Arias, he left more recently, we have a great relationship with him and his representative. It’s a conversation that happens frequently. We know of Palmeiras’ interest and that of other clubs. In fact, he has always generated interest from clubs here in Brazil, because he’s a spectacular player. His contract has a preferential clause, so if he returns, Fluminense has to be notified to exercise that preference, and our plan is to exercise it. We don’t know the figures yet, but we have a plan in place for that,” he explained.

According to reporting by Lance!, Wolverhampton, which owns the economic rights to the striker, wants to recoup its investment. In total, the English club paid a fixed fee of 17 million euros, plus up to 5 million euros in variables, which would not be reached in the event of a transfer.

In the event of a dispute over the player’s signing, the Fluminense board is betting on the prize money earned in 2025 to overcome the competition. A semi-finalist in the Club World Cup, Fluminense was the Brazilian club that earned the most in sporting bonuses last season, ahead of Palmeiras and Flamengo.

Palmeiras does not intend to carry out a new overhaul of its squad and is betting on targeted moves in this transfer window. The board’s idea is to bring in ready-made players, capable of helping the team in the short term and without needing an extensive adaptation period.

Among the names being considered is John Arias. Palmeiras inquired about the striker’s situation, who is fighting against relegation in English football, and indicated a desire to sign the player during this transfer window. However, no official offer has been formalized so far.

The club, as in other negotiations, has a principle of agreeing on the basics with all parties involved beforehand before presenting a formal offer. In addition to a striker, Palmeiras is also looking to sign a defender and a defensive midfielder in the transfer market.