Burnley have joined the race for Brazilian midfielder Vinicius Souza, the Lommel SK ace is also wanted by Sheffield United so a bidding war could now commence between the two newly promoted sides.
According to Alan Nixon, the Clarets are in a huge battle with the Blades over the 24-year-old’s signature.
Souza has spent the last two seasons away from his parent club on loan at fellow Belgian outfit KV Mechelen and most recently La Liga side Espanyol.
In fact, he has made more appearances for both of his temporary sides than he has for Lommel since signing from Flamengo for €2.5million in 2020.
The Brazil Under-20s international has featured just 19 times for the Challenger Pro League outfit, making 35 appearances for Mechelen and 37 for Espanyol over the past few seasons.
Occupying the holding role in midfield, Burnley’s interest in Souza is down to their deal for Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga beginning to stall. It is unclear at this stage whether Vincent Kompany wants just one or both of his midfield targets to make the Turf Moor switch this summer.
The Blades are ready to offer the Brazilian £40,000 per week, though the specifics of the transfer fee have not yet been discussed. He has two years left on his current deal, so it is likely that Lommel would be expecting a fair rise on the money they paid for him three years ago due to his impressive stint in Spain last season.
Is Souza the man?
Burnley’s only current out-and-out defensive midfield option is Jack Cork. The 34-year-old is in the final year of his contract at Turf Moor, so strengthening this position remains a priority for the Clarets.
A sensible option might be to pursue both Souza and Lokonga, though Burnley’s usual approach to transfer dealings might suggest that it is unlikely.
Should the Lommel ace join Kompany’s side, he is almost destined to be a regular in the starting XI – an exciting prospect, this could be one to keep an eye on.