Porto rival Benfica for João Victor Souza as Tottenham resist sale | OneFootball

Porto have entered the race to sign left-back João Victor Souza from Tottenham, submitting a €25 million bid against Benfica's €20 million offer. According to Diario Do Peixe, the 20-year-old, formerly of Santos, prefers Porto.

Tottenham are reluctant to sell and would accept only a loan, while talks continue. Santos, who face financial difficulties, hope for a permanent deal that could provide a significant windfall.

Santos sold Souza to the English club in January. With 10 percent of any capital gain plus FIFA solidarity, the Brazilian side could receive about €1.2 million, roughly R$ seven million, if a permanent transfer happens.

A standout from Santos' academy, Souza was recently nominated for the Golden Boy award and has made four Premier League appearances. For Santos, he totalled 39 senior games, scoring once with four assists across two seasons.

Barcelona and Bayern München monitored his rise, and formal offers had arrived from Dutch clubs and elsewhere in Europe. He broke into Santos' first team in 2024 in the Campeonato Paulista and Série B, remaining with the seniors thereafter.

Born in Mauá, he switched from forward to left-back after joining Santos from futsal at Juventus. He featured for Brazil at the 2023 Under-17 World Cup, and Brazil staff, including Carlo Ancelotti’s assistants, reportedly watched him while tracking Neymar.

Source: Diario Do Peixe