An unusual detail has come to light regarding Souza’s loan move from Tottenham to Porto in the final days of the transfer window.
The left-back arrived at Hotspur Way from Santos back in January with a big reputation, but he only made four appearances for the Lilywhites in the second half of last season.
It was initially reported that Porto wanted to sign Souza on a permanent deal this summer, just a few months after the Lilywhites had paid £17m to sign the starlet.
However, in the end, the Portuguese club signed the Brazilian from Spurs on a straight loan deal, with no option to buy.
No intermediaries involved in negotiations between Tottenham and Porto for Souza
Souza will not only get a taste of football in a top five European league, but he will also feature in the Champions League at Porto this season.
Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has now revealed that, contrary to reports in the media, Tottenham had no intention of selling the 20-year-old permanently this summer.
Porto will be paying Souza’s entire salary through the 2026-267 season. Unusually, Gold also shares that no intermediaries were involved in the negotiations between Tottenham and the Portuguese club over the left-back.
That suggests that the Premier League club’s hierarchy has a strong relationship with the higher-ups at Porto, which may pave the way for more deals between the two clubs over the years to come.
Why Porto switch is perfect for Souza
Souza is likely to find it easy to adapt to life in Portugal, given the familiarity with the language and culture.
He will also play for a side which will likely dominate possession in most of their games and where he will be encouraged to go forward and contribute in attack, which is one of his main strengths.
According to various reports, Roberto De Zerbi is an admirer of Souza’s qualities, and one would thus expect the Lilywhites to keep a keen eye on how he gets on in Portugal this term.