Sheffield United's Vinicius Souza "can definitely cut it at this level" after superb Preston North End performance | OneFootball

Souza has struggled since his arrival to Bramall Lane, but impressed on Friday night.

Highlights

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Sheffield United fans were left extremely impressed on Friday evening, after one of last summer's signings finally proved his worth in a 2-0 win over Preston North End.

Vinicius Souza joined the Blades in August 2023 for a reported £12 million from Belgian club Lommel. However, he struggled in the Premier League and looked close to an exit from Bramall Lane only a few weeks ago.

But, a dominant performance in the middle of the park against Preston has eased worries over the ability of the Brazilian, who was the pick of the bunch in an excellent team display on Sheffield United's return to the Championship.

However, there is still the question to be made whether the Blades should cash in on the midfielder now, or wait to see what he can produce in the coming months before making a decision.

Souza showed what he is truly capable of against Preston

The 25-year-old was imperious at Deepdale, and was a key reason behind his side's victory. He was able to break up Preston attacks, while also starting United's offensive plays, completing 91.7% of his passes.

He was constantly involved with the game, touching the ball 90 times, allowing the Blades to press up high, giving them a huge advantage over their opponents.

FLW'sSheffield United Fan Pundit, Jimmy from Blades Ramble, was impressed by Souza, and also quite shocked: "I have to hold my hands up because I did not think there was a player in there and one performance does not make an absolute superstar, but everything he’s showing at the minute is showing that he can definitely cut it at this level.

"It was one of the most impressive performances on Friday night, and he won Player of the Match. If we can keep hold of him, I think we'll do really well."

Souza may still leave Sheffield United but they must hold out for the correct fee

Despite a good start to life in the Championship, the Blades will not rest on their laurels in trying to hold onto the 25-year-old.

They had previously been holding out for £30 million for Souza, successfully steering Fulham away from signing him, but, as the transfer window quickly gets towards the deadline, clubs will be more desperate and willing to spend high fees to secure their targets.

However, Jimmy believes that the Brazilian should remain at Sheffield United after this summer: "I would rather keep Souza, I think he compliments our midfield really well. He's always shown signs of the quality that he possesses, but he just never got going in the Premier League.

"I honestly think, with more time on the ball and more confidence by playing in the Championship, I think he could significantly increase his value and I don't think we'll be talking about values of £15 million or £20 million.

"I think if we're promoted, we'll be talking about values of around £30 million for Souza and that's when I'd like to entertain offers for him if possible.

"We've also got four years left on his contract, so it's going to be a Sheffield United decision. We hold the cards, and I think he’ll be pivotal to our promotion push this year."