Tottenham appear willing to listen to offers for Souza. Fresh reports suggest the left-back’s representatives are already in Portugal to discuss a move with Porto.
The left-back has become a genuine target for the Portuguese champions after spending last season on the fringes of the Spurs first team.
Earlier on Tuesday, Portuguese newspaper Record dismissed claims from Brazil that Benfica had made a €20m (£17.4m) offer for the player. They also insisted the 20-year-old is not part of the Lisbon club’s plans for this summer.
Now, fresh reports from journalist Bruno Andrade in Portugal pointed to interest from Porto. Just a bit later, he has shown up at ESPN Brazil to add further details on how the situation is developing.
According to Andrade, Souza’s representatives are already in Portugal. They are expected to meet Porto officials between Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Portuguese side are hoping those meetings can accelerate negotiations. However, there is still no formal offer on the table. At this stage, there has only been a clear expression of interest.
Tottenham open to negotiations
Bruno Andrade also states that Tottenham are open to doing business, although there is still work to do before any agreement can be reached.
One of the biggest questions is the structure of a potential deal. The discussions could develop into either a permanent transfer or a loan with an option to buy.
Tottenham are naturally looking to protect the investment they made when signing Souza from Santos for around €15m (£13m) last summer.
Tottenham’s stance is hardly surprising. Souza has made only four competitive appearances since arriving in north London. And he was just left out of Roberto De Zerbi’s squad for the pre-season tour in New Zealand.
Porto have made left-back a priority
According to Bruno Andrade, Porto are trying to strengthen two key positions before the transfer window closes. These are a centre-forward and, perhaps more urgently, a left-back.
Souza has now become the latest player they’ve turned to. They look to solve what Andrade describes as the biggest weakness in their current squad.
Whether those discussions quickly become formal negotiations remains to be seen. Tottenham are prepared to consider a deal. The structure of any move is still up for discussion after the Premier League club invested €15m (£13m) to bring the defender from Santos just a year ago.
The next couple of days should provide a much clearer picture of whether Porto’s interest develops into a genuine attempt to sign him.
