Vinicius Souza on the nervous wait to seal his £10m move to Sheffield United, his Premier League impact, and his friendship with Vinicius Junior; watch Sheff Utd vs Newcastle live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm on Super Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm
Sunday 24 September 2023 17:03, UK
In the weeks before his £10m move from City Group club Lommel to Sheffield United was confirmed in August, Vinicius Souza could be found in a Manchester hotel, stuck in limbo and desperate to break out of it as negotiations dragged on.
"I said yes from the first day," the midfielder tells Sky Sports as he reflects on the move. "I wanted to come, and the manager wanted me to come too. But the club had to talk with City to agree a deal.
"I was waiting every day in the hotel, saying, 'Oh my God, I want to train, I want to come to Sheffield!' The coach called me every day asking what was happening, asking how he could help.
"I had to say I didn't know. I was at City asking everybody what was going on and they said, 'You just have to wait a little bit longer.'" One week became two; two became three. "I was going crazy."
The Brazilian, in-demand after an impressive loan spell with Espanyol in La Liga, was at least able to use Manchester City's training facilities. But that became another source of frustration.
"I could only train a little bit, because they said it was risky, in case of injury," he explains. "So, I would do like 30 minutes, then I'd have to leave the pitch. I'd go to the gym, but I couldn't train hard and that meant I didn't have a pre-season."
Souza, speaking six weeks later as a Sheffield United player whose Premier League quality is already clear, can smile about it now. In fact, a short time in his company is enough to make you wonder if he is ever not smiling, such is his sunny disposition.
It has already endeared him to his new team-mates.
"The guys are crazy, such good guys, the staff as well," Souza says, chuckling. "Now, I say they are like my family. I am here at the training ground more than I am at home."
It helps that his manager, Paul Heckingbottom, was so attentive even before he signed. "It's true, I talked with the manager a lot, over WhatsApp, by phone, even by video. He showed me things from training, so I would know what I needed to do when I came."
The video sessions helped Souza slot in seamlessly when, at last, he was cleared to join up with the team. Having debuted as a late substitute against Crystal Palace on the opening day, only 72 hours after signing, he has started every game since.
The Blades only have one point to show for their efforts so far, less than they deserve after pushing Tottenham and Manchester City so close, but Souza's performances at the base of midfield have been a bright spot.
"I'm not 100 per cent at my level but every day I am training and with every game I'm feeling better. I'm happy with myself, but I would feel better if we had won the games, because every game here is so hard. I'm looking more at the team than myself."
That said, he is delighted to have fulfilled his long-held ambition of playing in the Premier League. At 6ft 2ins, with his powerful frame, long, rangy strides and combative playing style, the 24-year-old looks tailor-made for the competition.
"I absolutely love it," he smiles. "You need full concentration all game. If you make one mistake, you can lose. It's crazy. But it's my style. I like to play with contact, aggressively, so I'm so happy."
Souza excels primarily as a ball-winner. Last season in La Liga, only one player, Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez, made a higher total of tackles and interceptions. Souza is already racking up impressive numbers in his new surroundings.
His appetite for a duel stands out. After five games, his success rate of 65 per cent puts him fourth among all Premier League midfielders. "I love to win duels, he says. "Everybody knows that's important in the Premier League because the games are so hard."
Souza offers intelligence as well as brawn, however, his progress on that front accelerating in Spain last season. Espanyol were ultimately relegated but Souza emerged with his reputation significantly enhanced. Sheffield United were not his only suitors.
I absolutely love it. You need full concentration all game. If you make one mistake, you can lose. It's crazy. But it's my style.
"La Liga is different from the Premier League, it's more tactical and you have to be aware of what is going on around you," he says. "I tried to put that into my game, and now I am trying to do it in the Premier League as well."
The frantic tempo has taken some getting used to.
"Here, you don't have any time on the ball. It's only like that in Spain when you play against the top four clubs. But here, whether you play the team in last place or the team in first, it's the same. You have, like, two seconds, so you need to know what to do."
Before Spain, there was Belgium, Souza's first stop in Europe after departing cherished boyhood side Flamengo in the summer of 2020. He admits the move from one of Brazil's biggest clubs to the Belgian second tier initially felt like a backward step.
"When I first talked to my family about it, I saw it like that," he says.
"But after I went there and I played in Lommel, I said it's like a trampoline. I play here for a little bit, enjoy my football, and then bigger things will come. For me, it was the best choice of my life."
Not that leaving Flamengo was easy. "All my family are Flamengo fans. I've been a Flamengo fan all my life. God gave me the opportunity to play in my club.
"It was crazy playing at the Maracana. The stadium is full, 70,000 people every game. Whether it's a Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, every game it's full. I love that pressure. When I don't have it, I think my level goes down a little bit. I need it."
Souza played in the same academy team as Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior at Flamengo and the pair remain close.
"We played together from 14 to 17 or 18," he says. "Last year, when I had a day off, I would go to Madrid to see him, or he would come to Barcelona. We were always together and talking on WhatsApp. Now I'm here, of course, it's different, but we are still talking."
Souza was there to offer his friend support when he suffered horrific racial abuse in Spain last season. "I think it was sad for all Brazilians," he says. "In Brazil, as a country, we are always together.
"So, to see this happen to Vini, we were very sad. It's crazy, in 2023, to still have racism. But Vini fights. He keeps fighting, keeps playing and keeps enjoying the game."
Enjoyment is key for Souza too but beneath his easy demeanour there are serious ambitions. He has represented Brazil at youth level and now hopes his Premier League move will help him break into the senior set-up. "It would be a dream come true," he says.
It's crazy, in 2023, to still have racism. But Vini fights. He keeps fighting, keeps playing and keeps enjoying the game.
He is not getting ahead of himself - "I need to keep my focus on Sheffield United," he says - but a strong showing against his countrymen Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, when Newcastle visit Bramall Lane on Sunday, would surely help his cause.
"Before the games, the analysts always show me what I need to do, or what my opponent will do, and Bruno obviously plays in the same position as me," he says, smiling again.
"Sometimes they say, 'Vini, you need to do this, like Bruno!' I say, 'OK, I'll try!' But he is an amazing player. He had an unbelievable season last year and now, for me, he's even better.
"Joelinton is another very, very good player for the national team, so it will be a hard game against these guys."
It takes place at Bramall Lane and while the famous old ground is no match for Brazil's iconic national stadium, Souza's eyes widen at the mention of its unique and boisterous atmosphere.
"Even when you go to warm-up, the supporters are crazy. I like this a lot. During Covid, not playing in front of supporters was different. Now, having the opportunity to play for these guys is amazing.
"I hope the atmosphere will be crazy because it's a good game against a big club and we need that. We are training so hard every day to prepare for it and for sure we will give 100 per cent."
Watch Sheff Utd vs Newcastle live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm on Super Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm
