'Fee agreed' - Wolves set to seal next summer signing amid 'not for sale' stance on rumoured exit
Wolves are on the verge of their third signing of the summer
Wolverhampton Wanderers are edging close to their third major transfer of the summer transfer window as they draw up plans for Vitor Pereira’s first full season at Molineux.
The Old Gold have already signed Fer Lopez from Celtia Vigo while also making striker Jorgen Strand Larsen’s move permanent following a successful loan spell from Celta Vigo, and now they are closing in on a deal to sign 31-time Colombian international Jhon Arias from Brazilian outfit Fluminense.
The Daily Telegraph’s Midlands correspondent James Percy reports that Wolves have agreed a fee in the region of £15m for the 27-year-old as they look to strengthen their wide attacking options.
Why Wolves are interested in Jhon Arias
Wolves are in the market for attacking midfield options to try and replace some of the output of Brazilian international Matheus Cunha, who recently signed for Manchester United for £62.5m. Jhon Arias is primarily seen as a right-sided winger but has proven throughout his career that he is more than capable of playing through the middle as a No.10 when required.
He started his career at local side Patriotas, aged 21 and played for other sides such as Llaneros F.C, América de Cali and Independiente Santa Fe (all in Colombia) before earning a move to Brazil to join Fluminense in 2021. During his time with Fluminense, he has racked up 229 appearances across all competitions, scoring 47 times and contributing 55 assists.
He’s won three major honours including the Recopa Sudamericana, which is a cup winners cup, Campeonato Carioca, the equivalent of the league title in Rio de Janerio and most significantly the Copa Libertadores, which is essentially the South American equivalent of the Champions League. He notably played alongside current Wolves midfielder Andre in the latter and made the Team of the Year alongside him in 2023.
What does the future hold for Andre?
Former Fluminense star Andre joined Wolves last summer on deadline day in a deal worth somewhere in the region of £21m. He had been coveted by Premier League heavyweights Liverpool in the previous January transfer window and had seen a move to Fulham fall through earlier in that summer window.
"He’s physically good and we think he’ll thrive in the Premier League. It's a player that we're picking on the way up - he's not coming to us having won his trophies on the way down,” said sporting director Matt Hobbs at the time.
Andre took time to settle, but overall enjoyed a solid first season with 33 league appearances and formed a solid partnership alongside fellow countrymen Joao Gomes, particularly in the second half of the year after Mario Lemina’s exit. His form in his debut season has prompted interest from Serie A giants, Juventus but Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas believes a sale is unlikely to take place with Wolves considering the footballer ‘untouchable’ at this stage as they prepare for the new season.