Vinicius Lira handed chance as Santos pause market move for Souza replacement | OneFootball

According to Globo.com, Souza’s R$ 94 million move to Tottenham has left a hole in Santos’ starting side, and the club will hand 18-year-old Vinicius Lira a chance at left-back for now, holding off a search for a replacement.

Lira made his first start of the year under Juan Pablo Vojvoda and assisted Barreal in the 1-1 draw at Guarani on Sunday. The game in Campinas was only the fifth senior outing of his career.

The new number 3 will be given minutes in the Paulistão to try to secure the role. If he delivers, the club will avoid going into the market for a left-back.

If he is not ready, the position returns to the agenda, with Escobar providing an in-squad alternative.

Standing 1.87m, Lira has youth call-ups for Brazil. He was part of Santos’ under-17 state title win in 2024, scoring in the final against São Paulo, and started for last year’s under-20 champions.

Santos’ only concrete move right now is forward Michael, 29, with the club waiting for him to resolve his situation with Flamengo before a deal can progress. He would replace Guilherme, sold to Houston Dynamo in the United States.

Source: Globo.com