Sheffield United first-teamer set to exit Bramall Lane in 8-figure transfer deal | OneFootball

Vinicius Souza looks to be the first high-profile player to be exiting United this summer following their failure to return to the Premier League

Sheffield United midfielder Vinicius Souza is closing in on a transfer exit from the club, with German outfit Wolfsburg poised to land the Brazilian.

The Blades are yet to fully feel the aftershock from their Championship play-off final defeat to Sunderland, where South Yorkshire hearts were broken following Tommy Watson's stoppage time winner.

Chris Wilder has since left as manager, but player-wise, there hasn't been a Bramall Lane exodus - that could be about to start though with the reported departure of Souza.

Vinicius Souza set for Sheffield United exit in £12.8m Wolfsburg deal

According to Brazilian journalist Vene Casagrande, Souza is set to finalise his Sheffield United departure next week, with Wolfsburg of the German Bundesliga his reported destination.

And they are set to pay a €15 million (£12.8 million) fee to prise the 26-year-old away from Ruben Selles' grasp, having signed two years ago from Belgian side Lommel in a £10 million deal.

Wolfsburg finished 11th out of 18 teams in the 2024-25 Bundesliga, and for the majority of their season had ex-Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl in charge before his exit in early May.

Paul Simonis has since moved from Go Ahead Eagles of the Netherlands to take charge, and he looks set to make Souza a major signing, with the defensive midfielder expected to travel to Germany to complete the move on 'Monday or Tuesday', as per Casagrande's report.

Vinicius Souza will be a big loss for Sheffield United, but he isn't irreplaceable

Every good Championship promotion-chasing side needs a midfield enforcer who can just keep the game ticking along, and for Sheffield United, Souza proved to be just that.

It's fair to say that the Brazilian didn't really pull up any trees in the Blades' disappointing 2023-24 Premier League campaign, but he looked like a player reborn when stepping into the Championship, and he's going to be a big miss when his exit is confirmed from Bramall Lane.

Perhaps unlike Gus Hamer though, whose goals and assists may be harder to replace if the Dutchman exits, Souza may not be as hard to find a successor for, and perhaps Selles has found that player anyway amid reported recent interest in Hull City's Steven Alzate.

The fee they are receiving for Souza should go a long way to helping to replace his services though, and although fans will be disappointed to lose him, he probably deserves to be playing in a top European league at this point.