Sheffield United are set to lose first-team players after losing the play-off final.
According to sources, Sheffield United could soon say farewell to midfielder Vinicius Souza, who is set to join VfL Wolfsburg.
Bramall Lane officials are realistic about their chances of retaining last season’s squad together, with outgoings a logical result of their play-off final loss to Sunderland in May. Talismanic forward Gustavo Hamer has already attracted a lot of attention, and top-tier teams are also interested in Souza.
The midfield rock battled through injury troubles to play 38 games for the Blades, but fell short of his aim of winning promotion back to the Premier League. And now, two years after arriving in South Yorkshire, the 26-year-old appears to be heading for Germany, with Brazilian writer Vene Casagrande reporting on the transfer.
He claims Souza will travel to Wolfsburg for medical testing next week after agreeing on a €15 million (£12.8 million) price, and he is set to join the Bundesliga team on Monday or Tuesday. Wolfsburg placed 11th in the 18-team German top tier last season and are aiming to add a muscular presence in their midfield, appearing to move quickly to sign the Blades favourite.
Souza is set to be United’s first significant departure this summer, dealing a massive, if not unexpected, blow to new manager Ruben Selles. Last season, the £10 million transfer from Belgian team Lommel established himself as one of the Championship’s top midfielders and served as an excellent in-game leader in a squad with limited experience.
Vini Souza’s departure is a significant setback for Sheffield United.
The aggressive midfielder did not get off to a good start at United, as his debut season coincided with the Blades’ relegation. However, he became a fan favourite during the previous season’s ultimately fruitless promotion race and was one of the first names on Wilder’s team sheet when healthy.
“Certainly, Vini’s turnaround is all credit to the boy and is all down to him, 100%,” Wilder said of Souza in November last year. “From the moment he walked through the door, he has been absolutely great, and his performances have been incredible. He’s a true leader, a popular youngster, and a major player for us, which the fans, most importantly, understand.”
If Souza’s transfer to Wolfsburg goes through, United will be expected to spend the proceeds from his sale in ready-made first-team signings. So far, COH Sports Group’s creative concept has only brought Nigerian winger Ehije Ukaki through the door, with more senior choices required if Selles is to lead another promotion campaign.
When asked earlier this month if he was looking forward to adding some fresh faces to the group he inherited from Wilder, 42-year-old Selles replied, “Yes, it’s always like that in this period of the year in the summer window.
“Obviously, some of the contracts are expiring, and some players will be unable to join us for the upcoming season. Situations in the market. So we expect other players to join us and help us become even more competitive.”
Leave a Reply