Following their relegation down to the second tier, Sheffield United could be hit with another hammer blow as AC Milan look to seal a move for Vinicius Souza.
In a report by Alan Nixon, who’s work can be found on his Patreon site, it has been suggested that the Italian giants are on the verge of claiming the United midfielder’s signature. Despite being of Brazilian nationality, Milan are hoping that Souza will be able to qualify as a European asset due to his Portuguese passport. This would massively help the Rossoneri reach the mandatory foreign representation ahead of another Serie A campaign.
The 25-year-old joined the Blades in August 2023 from Lommel, and has featured 38 times since. Souza has only found the net once, but proved to be a solid defensive midfielder in his club’s horrid Premier League campaign. The former Flamengo starlet ranked in the 98th percentile of Prem midfielders last season for duels won, with 220.
AC Milan are closing in on a move for Sheffield United midfielder Vinicius Souza. Fulham have been trying for the Brazilian but it's Milan who are now working hardest to complete a deal.
[@reluctantnicko]#twitterblades #sufc pic.twitter.com/94KsrMsCL0
— The Bladesman (@The_Bladesman) July 28, 2024
With the expiration of Souza’s contract only set for 2027, the Sheffield United man has three years left on his current deal. Not only does this give the 25-year-old the freedom to stay or go, but it also allows the Blades to demand a fairly significant fee for their asset.
The summer battle for Souza looks set to replicate July’s, with both Fulham and Milan holding interest in the Brazilian. However, after a £15 million bid from Marco Silva’s side was rejected in mid-July, it may be unlikely that Fulham matched the £30 million price tag this time around, which has reportedly been placed on the Blades’ midfielder.
With that being said, the large fee hasn’t put the Italian side off from closing in on a deal for Souza. Nixon has stated that despite the Cottagers’ best efforts to secure a move for the Bladesman, it is now Milan in pole position for a move this summer.
Writer’s View
On paper, this may seem like a big blow for United as they prepare for the 2024/25 Championship campaign. However, the midfield area still looks very strong in Chris Wilder’s side, especially for the second-tier, with the likes of Gustavo Hamer, Ollie Arblaster, Andre Brooks and new signing Calum O’Hare all ready to go.
It is likely that if this big money sale does go through, a small rebuild could be funded in order to achieve promotion back to the top-flight. Even in an increasingly expensive transfer market, a lot of real quality can be brought in with that sort of profit.
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