Real Madrid icon Roberto Carlos lauds Tottenham Hotspur prodigy as 'top-level'
· Yahoo Sports
Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos has heaped praise on young Tottenham Hotspur left-back Souza as the Brazilian prospect awaits his first appearance on loan at FC Porto.
The 20-year-old made the move to Spurs from Brazilian club Santos in January for £13 million ($17.5 million), with then head coach Thomas Frank declaring that the North London club believed they had "bought one of the brightest left-back talents in the world who can give us something now but also for the future".
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Souza managed four outings for a struggling Spurs side in his debut campaign, having previously spent a season in Brazil helping Santos stave off relegation alongside Neymar.
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A preseason illness disrupted the young Brazilian's summer preparations, leading to his omission from Roberto De Zerbi's roster for their trip to New Zealand and Australia as he worked to rebuild his fitness. Souza has been identified by the Brazilian FA as a future star, with Carlo Ancelotti keeping tabs on his development, according to football.london.
Tottenham's summer acquisition of experienced Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson on a free transfer, combined with the presence of Italy international Destiny Udogie, left Souza facing limited playing time this season.
While the fullback attracted significant interest from permanent suitors in Portugal, Tottenham were always reluctant to sanction an outright sale so soon after his arrival, and a loan agreement with Porto was ultimately secured.
Souza has yet to debut for the Portuguese club, but injuries are anticipated to provide that opportunity shortly, with manager Francesco Farioli reportedly working closely with the young defender during training sessions to integrate him into his team. Porto are scheduled to face Deportivo La Coruña in a friendly on Friday, where the Spurs player is expected to take part.
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Real Madrid and Brazil icon Roberto Carlos discussed the Tottenham left-back at the Portugal Football Summit this week, expressing confidence that all the excitement surrounding the youngster in their home country will be justified due to his talent.
"I don't like to make comparisons. He came to Porto because he has quality. He's a player who played extremely well at Santos, it was a great signing," said the 53-year-old, as reported by O Jogo. "I'm absolutely certain that he will deliver what is expected of him on the field, he's a top-level player."