Andy Thompson has been left disappointed by one of Wolves’ signings so far.
It has been a turbulent summer for Wolves in the transfer market, and the next couple of days are potentially going to be frantic.
Wolves have lost a plethora of players. Some were expected to depart, like Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
But there have also been exits sanctioned for several fringe players.
Wolves have made six new signings so far, but it remains to be seen how they will all fare – none of them have experience of playing in the Premier League so Wanderers have taken a gamble.
So far, none of the new faces have made too big an impression.
And for Andy Thompson, Jhon Arias needs to be doing more.
Andy Thompson disappointed by Jhon Arias so far after £19m Wolves transfer
Arias is Wolves’ marquee signing of the summer.
He arrived from Fluminense in a deal worth up to £19 million including bonuses, and is the player Wolves have really high hopes over to make an instant impact.
He’s 27, and had made a fantastic impact over in the Brazilian Serie A.
Arias has come in and assumed the number 10 shirt that was worn by Cunha, and fans are really hoping he can be as impactful as his predecessor.
So far though, there hasn’t really been any sign of that, and former Old Gold full-back Andy Thompson has expressed his disappointment.
He said: “I expected a bit more off him, Arias. I know he’s come from a different league and country. But I thought he would settle in a little bit quicker and be a bit more influential on the pitch for us.
“At the minute it’s scatty isn’t it? You kind of see him half-hearted with it. For me, he’s got to get more involved in it. He’s got to offer us more. He’s got pace and the ability, and was brought to the club for a reason.
“But at the moment I’m not really seeing what he can offer us going forward as such. Because when we’ve got the ball, he should be an outlet for us, one way or another.
“It’s massive shows to fill (Cunha). The thing is though, I thought OK, he’s not settled straight away, but I thought I would see glimpses of it. I thought I would see what he can offer us when he does get the ball – I’m not saying continually. But I’m just saying I thought we might see glimpses of it where he might be coming onto the pitch and seeing things that he can do. I haven’t really seen that.”
- READ MORE: Andy Thompson names the Wolves manager he’d love to have played under even more than Vitor Pereira
Arias needs time to adapt
It’s a tough moment for Wolves, and it could be some weeks before we see Arias hitting his stride.
It’s always difficult for players to come in from overseas leagues.
But fans must be patient over Arias, who has shown flashes of quality so far.
Yes, he hasn’t set the world alight yet. But Cunha took a while to get going at Wolves when he signed from Atletico Madrid, with Julen Lopetegui unsure of how best to use him.
| Jhon Arias for Fluminense (2021-2025) |
| Appearances – 230 |
| Goals – 47 |
| Assists – 55 |
He hasn’t been around long, and Arias admitted early doors that he needs to improve his English. Once he’s done that things will be a lot easier for him.
But Wolves could do with him getting settled as quickly as possible, as it’s already shaping up to be a very tough season.
Vitor Pereira revealed he made a big effort to bring Arias to Wolves, and that personal effort from the manager clearly suggests he’s a player he strongly believes in.