Tottenham Hotspur should already be thinking about life after Andy Robertson, and Souza has just given the club another reason to believe the answer could be sitting in Portugal.

Robertson arrived from Liverpool this summer with an enormous amount of experience and remains the obvious senior option at left-back. At 32, though, Spurs also need to think beyond the short term. If the club gets its recruitment right, next season should be about starting the transition rather than waiting for Robertson’s decline to force it.

That is where Souza comes in. The Brazilian is only 20 and is currently spending the season on loan at FC Porto, where he finally made his first appearance in Friday’s 3-1 friendly win over Deportivo La Coruna. He also supplied the assist for Andre Silva’s goal, giving Tottenham fans something positive to follow after a frustrating start to his loan spell.

We covered Souza’s encouraging Porto debut yesterday, but his longer-term importance to Spurs is arguably more interesting.

Tottenham signed Souza from Santos in January after he made 24 appearances in Brazil’s top flight. His first few months in England were inevitably difficult, with only four senior appearances, but the club’s decision to send him to Porto suggests the plan is development rather than abandonment.

Robertson, meanwhile, gives Spurs exactly what they need right now: experience, reliability and a player who knows what it takes to perform at the highest level. But that does not mean he should block Souza’s path indefinitely.

If Souza can use his Porto loan to become a regular senior player, Tottenham could return him to North London next summer with a genuine opportunity to challenge Robertson. That would be a far healthier situation than simply handing the Brazilian a squad role and hoping he develops.

There is still a long way to go. One friendly appearance does not suddenly make Souza ready to replace a player with Robertson’s CV. But the objective should be clear: use this season to accelerate Souza’s development, then give him a real chance to become Tottenham’s long-term left-back.

Robertson may be the answer for now. Souza could be the answer for what comes next.