Jhon Arias explains his choice for Palmeiras and rejects Flamengo in his official presentation

Colombian striker Jhon Arias was officially presented as the new reinforcement of Palmeiras on the afternoon of this Friday, February 13, 2026, in a press conference held at Academia of Futebol, in São Paulo. The player, who was with Wolverhampton, from Inglaterra, signed a contract with the Alviverde club after a negotiation that involved an investment of 25 million euros by the Palmeiras board. Durante the ceremony, Arias wore the number 11 shirt and explained the reasons that led him to choose the Verdão project to continue his professional career.

The athlete’s arrival occurs at a strategic moment in the season, aiming to strengthen the squad for the Campeonato Paulista, Copa Libertadores and Campeonato Brasileiro disputes. Arias highlighted that the structure offered by the club and the possibility of fighting for trophies were decisive for the final agreement between the parties involved. President Leila Pereira followed the presentation and reinforced the importance of hiring for the association’s ambitions on the national and international scene.

• The player has already had his name published in the CBF’s Boletim Informativo Diário (BID).
• Arias is a regular on this year’s Campeonato Paulista list.
• The transfer value is around 25 million euros paid to the English club.
• The striker takes on the number 11 shirt, kindly provided by teammate Bruno Rodrigues.

Officially part of#PalmeirasFamily! Bem-coming, Jhon Arias! ✅🇨🇴pic.twitter.com/ic2a3tbPAv

— SE Palmeiras (@Palmeiras)February 13, 2026

Respect for Fluminense and decision for the alviverde project

Jhon Arias was asked at the beginning of the press conference about his previous statements regarding a possible return to Brazilian football, where he had expressed a preference for Fluminense. The striker emphasized that he maintains enormous affection and gratitude for the Rio club, where he built a successful trajectory and won important titles such as the Libertadores. Ele highlighted that football is dynamic and that market circumstances led him to the challenge at Palmeiras.

The choice for the São Paulo team was based on the stability and competitiveness that the team maintains under the command of the current technical and administrative management. Arias stated that Palmeiras offered guarantees that he will be able to perform at a high level to seek a call-up for the next Copa of Mundo. The player understands that the showcase provided by the club is ideal for his personal medium and long-term career goals.

Refusal to Flamengo and gratitude for the board’s stance

One of the highlights of the interview was the confirmation that Arias refused a direct advance from Flamengo before sealing the deal with Palmeiras. The Colombian explained that, out of respect for the history he has at Fluminense, he did not feel comfortable transferring to a direct rival of his former club at Rio from Janeiro. Segundo the athlete, Flamengo is a different opponent for the tricolor fans, which weighed in their final decision not to open negotiations.

Arias revealed that conversations with Leila Pereira and football director Anderson Barros were fundamental for him to feel valued and wanted by the Palmeiras project. The president would have contacted directly the player’s family and staff to detail the internal functioning of the club and expectations regarding his performance. Esse welcoming was cited as a differentiator for him to be convinced that he was making the right decision for his future.

Experience in English football and tactical maturity

The six-month stint at Wolverhampton was described by the striker as a period of great learning, despite the collective difficulties faced by the team at Premier League. Jhon Arias admitted that the individual numbers were below expectations, but justified the performance citing the context of a team fighting against relegation. Ele believes that his experience at Europa made him a more mature player and prepared to face different game systems at Brasil.

The new number 11 of Verdão highlighted that the level of physical and tactical demands of English football added new strengths to his style of play. Mesmo with a lower score than desired at the end of his stay at Inglaterra, he guaranteed that he was in good physical condition to debut as soon as possible. Arias pointed out that his former team’s goal metric was low in general, which made it difficult for any player in the offensive sector to shine individually.

• Tactical adaptation to different roles in the attack and midfield sector.
• Gain of physical intensity in ball disputes and defensive recovery.
• Understanding of playing under pressure in one of the strongest leagues in the world.
• Psychological resilience to deal with collective negative outcomes.

Dialogues with Abel Ferreira and versatility on the field

Even before disembarking at São Paulo, Jhon Arias maintained several telephone contacts with technician Abel Ferreira to discuss how it would be used in the tactical scheme. The Portuguese coach detailed the different roles that the Colombian can play, whether on the wings or acting more centrally in the frame. Essa versatility is seen by the coaching staff as an important asset for the necessary rotation throughout the exhaustive Brazilian football calendar.

Arias expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of working with Abel, citing the solidity of the work that has been carried out in recent years at Academia of Futebol. The player stated that he does not arrive with the expectation of absolute ownership, but rather to earn his place in a squad that is already qualified. Para him, internal competition is healthy and motivates each athlete to deliver their best in training and in official matches of the season.

Expectation of debut and integration with the cast

Although Palmeiras will face Guarani for Campeonato Paulista next Sunday, Jhon Arias’s debut has not yet been confirmed for this immediate clash. The player arrived in the capital of São Paulo on Friday morning and has not yet had his first direct contact with his new teammates on the training ground. The medical department and physical preparation must carry out specific assessments before releasing it to the concentrate list.

The striker made himself available to the coaching staff, reinforcing his desire to be on the field as quickly as possible to feel the warmth of the Alviverde fans. Ele highlighted that synergy with the group of players will be built over the next few days of intense work at the training center. The initial focus is on quickly adapting to the Palmeiras’s working methods so that your technical contribution is effective from the first minutes of working in the new outfit.

Ambition for continental titles and career projection

Winning Copa Libertadores is one of the major objectives mentioned by Arias upon his arrival at the club that is seeking its fourth title in the competition. The player recognizes the difficulty of the South American tournament, but believes that Palmeiras has a safe environment and a squad capable of fighting for all the cups available in 2026. Ele emphasized that waking up with a purpose of victory is what drives his routine as a high-performance professional athlete.

When analyzing the current scenario, the Colombian reinforced that Palmeiras is today a global power that offers all the necessary tools for a player to stay at the top. The structure of sports medicine, physiology and performance analysis were praised for strengthening as pillars that support the club’s competitive longevity. Arias concluded by reiterating that his ambition is to be important in the history of Verdão, repaying the investment made by the board with dedication and significant results within the four lines.