"£25 million" - Sheffield United: Vini Souza price-tag claim made on "superb" ace | OneFootball

FLW's Blades fan pundit has named Vinicius Souza as the club's most valuable player

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Vini Souza has been rated as Sheffield United's most valuable player right now, at around £25 million, following his standout showings in the Championship so far this season amid the Blades' promotion challenge.

Brazilian midfielder Souza joined United from Belgian side Lommel SK last summer for around £10m, following an impressive loan spell at Espanyol, but struggled to get to grips with English football in his first six months at the club.

He showed some encouraging signs midway through the Premier League campaign, but then ended last season out of the team behind Ollie Arblaster, and was touted with a swift exit from the club after relegation following a tough year at Bramall Lane.

The 25-year-old stayed in South Yorkshire, however, and has battled back against the doubters to prove himself as a top midfield enforcer in the Championship this season, with a starting spot now completely nailed down in Chris Wilder's side.

Vini Souza named as Sheffield United's most valuable player right now

Souza was linked with a move to Fulham by Brazilian media in the summer window, as United reportedly placed a £15m price-tag on his head amid Premier League interest ahead of their return to the second-tier.

Instead of sanctioning a sale, the Blades decided to keep the 25-year-old in Wilder's squad for the second-tier campaign, and that decision has proven to be a great one, given his key role in their success in the Championship up to now.

Souza has made 18 league appearances so far, with starts in all of those outings, and has only missed one game due to suspension, with Wilder trusting him with the captain's armband on five separate occasions.

The Brazilian youth international has been a real key man in the middle of the park for the Blades over the last few months, and his turnaround in fortunes has made him a clear fan-favourite at Bramall Lane.

Football League World's United fan pundit, Jimmy, of the Blades Ramble YouTube channel, believes that Souza would command £25m if he was to be sold right now, and is the club's most valuable player as it stands, after we asked him for the one player at the club that he thinks has the highest price-tag, and how much he would value him at.

"We’re fortunate in our squad to have a lot of players that have significantly increased their value this season alone," Jimmy told FLW.

"You could look at someone like Gus Hamer, who has retained a high value, but also a player like Michael Cooper, who came in for an absolute steal, and has massively surpassed what we paid for him already, in less than 20 games.

"But, in terms of pure value and upside, I think the most desired player that a Premier League side might want to come in for, or a European team, would be Vinicius Souza.

"If I’d had said that last season, Blades fans up and down the country would have laughed at me.

"It’s been a full turn-around by Vini Souza this season, and he is now a superb player and a real driving force in the middle of the park.

"How much would I value him at? £25 million I think. That would probably get him out of Sheffield United."

Chris Wilder has given Souza high praise amid his Blades redemption

Souza's comeback from being an outcast last season to one of the first names on the team sheet this season has not gone unnoticed by many at Bramall Lane, and Chris Wilder's decision to install faith in him this term has clearly massively paid off.

Wilder made the further decision to hand the Brazilian the captain's armband for the first time in his Blades career in September against Derby County, with both Jack Robinson and Ollie Arblaster unavailable, and heaped huge praise on his attitude that has helped him recover from his tough period last year.

"We thought Vini deserved it. I could have made Soutts captain, I could have made Gus captain, I could have made Kieffer captain," Wilder told The Star in the aftermath of the win over the Rams.

"We got a really good performance from Vini. He was exceptionally disciplined as well after the early booking. You’re always thinking: ‘One loose tackle...’ because he’s a combative midfield player and he wants to make tackles.

"He’s been outstanding. You’ve seen the turnaround already and it was a proud moment. He was delighted when we told him, and he led the team from the front.

"It’s a proud moment for anyone, to be the captain of Sheffield United, and I’m delighted for him, that he’s played his part as captain of a winning team."

Souza's leadership credentials, as well as his key performances in midfield, have made him undroppable from the starting eleven for Wilder in recent months, and so it is no wonder that he is rated at such a high value now, as his departure would be a real blow for the club as they look to return to the Premier League.