Juan Jose Arias

ANALYSIS
Arias is a centerback who signed with Atletico Nacional as an 18-year-old in February 2022 and went on to make 74 appearances across all competitions, scoring once and helping the Colombian club win five domestic trophies, including the 2022 Apertura and 2024 Clausura league titles. Since joining Real Salt Lake on loan, he has yet to feature in a competitive match, having dealt with a long groin injury, and was named to the bench for the first time this season in the club's last game before the World Cup break, a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United. Chief soccer officer Kurt Schmid pointed to his consistent development and maturity at Nacional as key factors in making the move permanent, adding that the club sees him as a long-term contributor to the defensive unit once he works his way back to full fitness.