Vini Souza makes Premier League point as he opens up on Sheffield United transfer exit, George Baldock tragedy
Vini Souza opens up on Sheffield United transfer exit, Premier League point and George Baldock tragedy
Vini Souza has suggested that his time at Sheffield United would have continued had the Blades been successful in their goal of returning to the Premier League last term. The Brazilian battler joined German top-flight side Wolfsburg earlier this month, after May’s play-off final defeat to Sunderland at Wembley condemned United to another season of Championship football.
Souza’s two seasons in South Yorkshire were contrasting; the midfielder castigated in his first and hailed in his second after an impressive turnaround - albeit one helped by a drastic drop in quality after the Blades were relegated from the Premier League.
But his move to the Bundesliga leaves a gaping hole in United’s midfield ahead of the new season, with Braga man Djibril Soumare the Blades’ top choice to replace him. Tim Iroegbunam is also on United’s radar as they look to replace the midfield presence offered by 26-year-old Souza.
“I've always changed my life with new cultures,” Souza, who has now played in five countries after previous experience in his homeland, Belgium, Spain and England, said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo. “When the opportunity to go to Germany came up, I thought: another culture, another language... I loved it.
Vini Souza opens up on Sheffield United transfer exit, Premier League potential and George Baldock tragedy
“We came very close [to promotion]. In the final, against Sunderland, I really enjoyed it. A beautiful stadium, like Wembley, but it slipped away from us by two minutes. In two minutes, everything changed. But I was very happy in Sheffield and I'm very grateful.”
Asked if there was a possibility he would have stayed in Sheffield had the Blades won that final, Souza admitted: “I think so. I was very happy there, I had great friends, there were great people, and the team was fantastic.
“We were always together, even on my days off. I enjoyed it a lot, but things change very quickly in football. In two weeks, it changed; I was in Brazil on vacation and I had to come here. I enjoyed myself a lot in Sheffield, but things change very quickly in football."
Souza’s time at United had many highlights but also the low of former teammate George Baldock’s tragic passing, the Greek international drowning at his swimming pool in Athens last October. Baldock and Souza played together in the latter’s first season in English football, before the right-back joined Panathinaikos in his adopted homeland.
“After my first season, he left for Greece,” Souza said. “And after four or five months, the news came through social media. I couldn't believe it. Then we started talking on the WhatsApp group and a ton of news started coming out, from all over the world.
“It was very hard. At night, we found out that it had happened, and the next day, when we arrived for training, the manager [Chris Wilder] told us that anyone who didn't want to train could go home. I was left alone to forget about it. He was a great friend and helped me a lot when I arrived in Sheffield. I'll take fond memories with me.”