Jhon Arias made his farewell appearance for Fluminense on Thursday night, as the club hosted Cruzeiro at the Maracanã in the 14th round of the Brazilian league.
As previously reported, the Colombian is on his way to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the transfer set to be completed for €22m, including performance-related bonuses.
According to Globo Esporte and BolaVip, Arias received a tribute on the stadium screen at the final whistle, with messages of thanks from the club and loud applause from the fans.
His family also joined him on the pitch, marking the emotional goodbye. Despite the celebration, a section of the crowd expressed dissatisfaction with Fluminense president Mário Bittencourt, shouting insults in protest over the sale.
Fluminense will receive approximately €16.2m from the deal, while his former club Patriotas will earn around €6m. Although the Colombian side originally held 50% of Jhon Arias’ economic rights, they agreed to reduce their share in order to facilitate the transfer.
Speaking to ESPN Colombia, club president César Guzmán said all parties had to make concessions, and Patriotas accepted a lower percentage out of recognition for Fluminense’s role in boosting Arias’ value.
Also, Fluminense will retain 10% of Arias’ rights for a future resale, and a clause grants them the first option to re-sign him if he returns to Brazil.
Manager Renato Gaúcho revealed that the club made a final attempt to keep Arias by offering a salary increase. However, the winger opted to accept the Wolves offer. “I’m a witness that the president tried to give him a raise to stay,” he said in his press conference. “But when a footballer has a dream, he has to go after it. He chose to leave. While he was here, he helped us a lot.”
Renato acknowledged Arias’ importance but insisted the focus must now shift: “He made his name here and is one of the fans’ idols. But life moves on. We wish him the best. He deserved that tribute.”
The coach also made a public call for a replacement, while recognising the quality of the player he just lost: “Now we have to find another player for his position. It’s not easy to find someone with his talent.”
The final paperwork for Arias’ move to Wolves is expected to be signed this week. The player is due to travel to England on Monday, with Fluminense confirming that the Premier League side refused to delay the deal further, as the club is already in pre-season.
