Palmeiras have completed the signing of Jhon Arias from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the Colombian winger returning to Brazilian football in a deal worth around €25m (about R$154m). The transfer was confirmed on 7 February 2026, with Wolves boss Rob Edwards and the club both confirming Arias's exit after just seven months at Molineux. He has signed a contract at Palmeiras running to December 2029 and was presented at the club's training academy on 13 February wearing the number 11 shirt.
Arias was a specific request from Palmeiras head coach Abel Ferreira, who spoke to the player directly during the negotiation and laid out where he saw him fitting into the side. Palmeiras value his versatility: he can play as a winger or as a more central attacking midfielder, and he is known for his pace, physical strength and end product. Ferreira has already spoken of a "good headache" in picking his best attacking XI now Arias is in the squad.
For Wolves, it's a straightforward business decision as much as a footballing one — the club recoups a large fee on a player who arrived only last July, at a time when Vitor Pereira's rebuilding project has moved on under Edwards. Arias made 26 appearances in all competitions, starting 14 Premier League games, and scored twice: once against West Ham United in the league and once against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup. His final Wolves appearance came against Bournemouth days before the move was finalised. The club thanked him for his efforts and wished him well back in Brazil.
Arias's move to England always looked like a gamble given how thoroughly established he was in South American football. Before joining Wolves he spent four years at Fluminense, where he was central to the club's run to the 2023 Copa Libertadores title, added a Recopa Sudamericana and two Campeonato Carioca titles, and built a reputation as one of the most productive wide players in Brazilian football, combining goals with a high volume of assists. That form never fully translated in the Premier League, where he featured regularly under Pereira but struggled to become a consistent starter or match his South American output.
At Palmeiras he rejoins a squad shaped by Abel Ferreira's demanding, high-pressing style, and the club clearly sees him as an immediate first-team option rather than a squad player — hence the direct involvement of the coach in getting the deal done and the size of the fee. Arias himself has spoken of wanting to win everything on offer with Palmeiras, one of Brazil's biggest and most ambitious clubs.
The early signs from his debut games suggest he can slot into Palmeiras's attack quickly, given his familiarity with Brazilian football and his comfort in multiple attacking positions. For Wolves, his departure leaves a gap on the left of attack that Edwards will need to fill from within his existing squad or via a fresh signing before the fee is reinvested.