Souza heads to Porto after losing battle for Tottenham first-team place under De Zerbi

Souza is set for a new challenge in European football after failing to break into Roberto De Zerbi's plans at Tottenham Hotspur. The left-back, who had made an impression in the latter stages of last season, will join Porto on a year-long loan with no option to buy — with one day of the transfer window remaining.

The deal was first reported by Portuguese outlet A Bola and confirmed independently. Porto accelerated their pursuit after Zaidu Sanusi, their first-choice left-back, suffered an injury last week, opening an immediate gap in Francesco Farioli's squad — and requiring a new name to be registered with UEFA for the Champions League by Wednesday.

Benfica had also shown interest in Souza during this window but sought a permanent deal. Tottenham rejected the Lisbon club's approach, reported to be worth £17m (€20m), unwilling to let the Brazilian leave on a permanent basis at this stage.

Souza at Tottenham: how opportunity ran out

Signed from Santos in January 2025, Souza had made enough of an impact under Igor Tudor during the difficult final weeks of last season — when Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation — to suggest he had a future at the club.

Under Tudor, he started three consecutive Premier League matches, including an appearance against Liverpool in what proved the Croatian boss's only point during his brief tenure. [Note: Tudor's quote about the player was given in the original source attributed to the player; exact speaker unclear — translating as attributed in source.]

'He was doing well, I saw potential in him. He is there, waiting for his chance to play.' — attributed to Tudor or Souza in the original source; original English wording unverified.

However, the arrival of De Zerbi changed the picture entirely. The Italian manager never called on Souza during the run-in that ultimately secured Tottenham's top-flight status, and the new season has continued in the same vein — the Brazilian was absent from pre-season and has not featured in the squad for any of the club's opening three competitive fixtures, including Premier League defeats to Brentford and Newcastle and a 5-1 Carabao Cup win over Charlton Athletic.

The competition for the left-back position also intensified. Despite Djed Spence departing for Inter Milan, Tottenham brought in Andrew Robertson to cover the same flank — effectively blocking Souza's path to regular first-team football.

A season to develop without burning bridges

The loan structure reflects both parties' priorities. With a contract running until June 2031, Souza has no reason to force a permanent exit from Spurs. A year of regular football in Portugal — including Champions League exposure if Porto qualify from their group — suits his development needs while preserving his long-term relationship with the London club.

Porto, meanwhile, get an immediate solution to a pressing squad gap, with the added urgency of a UEFA registration deadline.