Andros Townsend has suggested Wolves may have made a mistake signing Jhon Arias.
Jhon Arias was Wolves’ second signing of the summer, joining the club from Fluminense for around £19 million in total.
At the time, Wolves fans were very excited about the transfer. Arias had stood out for several years in the Brazilian top-flight, and also caught the eye at the Club World Cup.
Wolves brought the South American in, and many felt he could be the replacement for Matheus Cunha, who had joined Manchester United weeks earlier.
Arias even took the number 10 shirt, and hopes were high that he would immediately deliver.
But unfortunately, it’s been a disappointing start for Arias at Molineux, with the attacker yet to score or assist.
He’s had a couple of lively outings, such as against Tottenham Hotspur. And he’s also come close to opening his account – he was very unlucky to strike the woodwork from a free-kick against Burnley on Sunday.
But Arias has underwhelmed – and this does not come as too much of surprise to Andros Townsend.
Andros Townsend questions Wolves’ move for Jhon Arias
Wolves were always going to strongly feel the exit of Matheus Cunha.
The Brazilian was just a top player, capable of producing moments of magic for Wolves.
He was a consistent threat, and Wolves really needed someone who could supply a similar amount of goals and assists.
They felt Arias was that man, with Pereira key in bringing him to the club, having seen him play in Brazil.
It hasn’t worked so far, and Andros Townsend has shared why he felt it was never the right move from Wolves.
He said on the Monday Night Club: “Jhon Arias, I covered a lot of his games at the Club World Cup and everyone was raving about him, he did have a good tournament. But it’s a big jump to go from a star in the Brazilian league to a star in the Premier League.
“I struggled to see how he would be a star in the Premier League. There is still time, but those alarm bells were ringing in my head when I was seeing his name linked with the Premier League.
“The fact Wolves have signed him thinking he’s going to hit the ground running, be their Cunha – I didn’t see it at the time.”
Arias hasn’t found his place at Wolves
Townsend’s comments about Arias are very interesting indeed.
He felt the Colombia international wasn’t someone who could thrive in the Premier League, and so far that has proven to the case.
Of course, there are some reasons for Arias’ slow start. He had already played a lot of football for Fluminense in 2025 before joining Wolves, and he has also had to adapt to a new country, a new culture and learn English.
| Jhon Arias for Wolves (2025-present) |
| Appearances – 11 |
| Minutes played – 675 |
| Goals – 0 |
| Assists – 0 |
| Shots on target percentage – 31% (5/16) |
| Pass completion rate – 84% |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 – 3.05 |
| Percentage of dribblers tackled – 67% |
| Take-on success – 44% |
Granted, it cannot have been smooth for him.
It also feels like Pereira hasn’t found the best position for him yet. He’s played pretty much everywhere across the frontline, without making a major impact.
In his best game against Tottenham Hotspur, he was rather free roaming. So perhaps his base position should be as a number 10 so he can have license to go to either side.