Why Souza has caught FC Porto’s eye: from futsal to the Premier League | OneFootball

João Victor de Souza Menezes, known in football as Souza, is one of the players being tracked by FC Porto. The full-back has traits that help explain the interest of the Dragons, namely his technical quality and room for development. Initially developed in futsal, he rose to prominence at Santos, represented Tottenham and was part of Brazil’s squad at the 2023 Under-17 World Cup.

As A BOLA explained, there are still no formal negotiations between FC Porto’s and Tottenham’s SADs. So far, contacts have taken place only informally, through the player’s agent. Porto’s strategy is expected to involve waiting for the transfer window to close before moving for targets already identified by the club structure and approved by Farioli. In Souza’s case, a loan deal with bonuses could be considered, opening the possibility for the Portuguese club to secure the player later if he confirms his value. A signing for around €20 million, the figure mentioned by the Brazilian press, is completely ruled out.

Born in Mauá, in the state of São Paulo, Souza turned 20 in June. He started out playing futsal at Juventus-SP before moving into eleven-a-side football and joining Santos’s academy. The influence of futsal is still clear in the way he plays: he is quick to make decisions, feels comfortable in tight spaces and shows confidence with the ball at his feet. These are attributes often associated with full-backs and wingers developed in Brazil.

His progress at Santos was particularly rapid. In 2023, he was already establishing himself as one of the standout players in the club’s youth teams, even wearing the under-17 captain’s armband. That role reflected his leadership and the competitive status he had achieved at a club renowned for its youth development. His first-team debut came in 2025, when he was brought on in the second half of the match against Mirassol, which ended in a 2-2 draw in the Paulista championship. From that point on, he was no longer just a prospect and began attracting interest on the international market.

His appearance at the 2023 Under-17 World Cup also helped raise his profile. Souza was part of a Brazil squad that included, among others, Estêvão, Vítor Reis, Lorran, Rayan and Kauã Elias, players who would go on to stand out. Brazil were ultimately knocked out in the quarter-finals by Argentina. Germany won the trophy, defeating France on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regular time.

It was after he had already gained value and secured his place in Santos’s first team that Souza caught Tottenham’s attention. In 2025, he made 29 appearances, scored one goal and provided two assists. The London club completed the signing in January 2026 for approximately €15 million, after Santos had rejected an initial offer. The defender then signed a contract running until 2031.

His spell in London, however, fell short of expectations. The demands of the Premier League, both physically and tactically, made adaptation more difficult. Competition at left-back, combined with his youth, reduced the space available to him in Tottenham’s first team. In total, he featured in only four matches, starting two and coming off the bench in the others.

Even without managing to establish himself in England, Souza continues to attract interest. His modern full-back profile, technical ability and track record with the youth national teams make him an option FC Porto are monitoring closely.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.