Wolves are putting their foot on the gas in their pursuit of new players, with Jhon Arias becoming the next strongest candidate to join Vitor Pereira’s project.
After Wolves signed Fer Lopez in June, supporters wanted the floodgates to open and several new faces to join him at Molineux.
For the past few weeks, the transfer front has been quiet, until Wolves registered an interest in Fluminense forward Jhon Arias.
The 27-year-old popped onto Pereira’s radar after his standout performances at the Club World Cup, with the Old Gold launching a direct pursuit for him.
On Monday, Molineux News revealed that Wolves were close to signing Arias after agreeing a £15m fee and personal terms with the player. But unfortunately, just when a deal looked close to completion, the saga has taken a fresh twist.
Jhon Arias in Fluminense v Vasco da Gama 2024
Photo by MB Media/Getty Images
Fluminense reject Wolves bid for Jhon Arias
For someone entering their prime years and recently seeing their stock skyrocket after the Club World Cup, a £15 million fee was regarded as a bargain.
That is why Brazilian outlet Ge Globo have now reported that Fluminense have rejected Wolves’ opening bid for the Colombian, with the Wanderers ready to launch a fresh offer very ‘soon’.
Arias has a dream of playing in Europe, and on Monday, it was revealed that he has a desire to move to English football, which is why a transfer to Molineux is appealing.
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With Fluminense accepting that they can’t stand in his way, it only feels a matter of time before he joins Wolves, but it all depends on how much they are willing to pay for the left-footed dynamo.
Wolves signed Andre for £21 million from Fluminense last summer, and perhaps a similar fee would be enough for the Brazilian side to accept.
When the news broke that the Old Gold were set to land Arias for £15m, Fluminense fans couldn’t believe what was unfolding before their eyes.
They knew that selling arguably their best player for such a low fee was a travesty, and that was a sentiment echoed by Brazilian journalist Fred Caldeira.
A venda de Jhon Arias por €20M será uma vergonha para o Fluminense. Dinheiro de pinga por um jogadoraço no auge.
— Fred Caldeira (@fredcaldeira) July 14, 2025
He wrote on X: “The sale of Jhon Arias for €20M will be a disgrace for Fluminense. Pocket change for a cracking player at his peak.”
Caldeira was understandably disgruntled at the news of Arias joining Wolves, but there will be a sense of relief that Fluminense pulled the plug on the transfer, though it feels only a matter of time before a deal is agreed.