Porto are in advanced negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur for the permanent transfer of left-back Souza, according to GE Globo – a development that would see the 20-year-old Brazilian exit north London after just four appearances for the club.
Souza joined Spurs from Santos in January 2026 for a fee of around €15m (£13m), but managed only 144 minutes of first-team football across the second half of last season. The Brazilian is understood to be seeking regular minutes with an eye on Brazil’s 2030 World Cup squad, and Porto – who have been tracking him since his youth days at Santos – have moved quickly to make that pitch.
GE Globo reports that Porto have acted fast to outmanoeuvre rival interest, with Benfica having already lodged a reported €20m (£17.1m) offer for the player. It is not clear what became of Benfica’s approach, but the fact Porto are described as being in ‘advanced negotiations’ suggests they currently hold the upper hand.
The Spence Factor
The timing of this story is not entirely straightforward. As covered here recently, Roberto De Zerbi has made clear he wants Djed Spence to stay at the club following his performances at the World Cup, which complicates the left-back picture considerably. Losing both Souza and Spence would leave Tottenham dangerously thin on the left side of defence, which presumably acts as some check on how readily the club moves Souza on.
Football365 notes that Souza’s future is likely tied to Spence’s – if the England international stays, a Souza sale becomes more palatable. If Spence goes, the calculus changes. De Zerbi has been direct on the subject of Spence’s future, telling media he would like him to stay but making clear the door would not be forced shut if the player wanted to leave.
What Happens Next
The key outstanding question is the structure of any deal. Portuguese outlet Notícias ao Minuto reports that Porto are weighing either a straight €15m purchase or a loan with an obligation to buy after one year, with Souza’s salary – reportedly around €2m gross per year – an additional complication for a club where that figure would place him among the top earners. Spurs, meanwhile, are thought to be open to selling at roughly what they paid, though Benfica’s €20m approach sets a useful benchmark for any negotiation. Whether they push for the higher figure or accept a quicker deal at cost price will say something about how much they actually rated him as a long-term option.
Given that Souza’s Spurs career amounted to four cameos and a transfer window’s worth of hope, there would be a grim familiarity to this if it concludes with a quiet exit before anyone has really made up their minds about him. It would not be without precedent under the current regime.
