Lino Gonçalo da Cruz Sousa[2] (born 19 January 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for EFL League One side Bristol Rovers, on loan from Premier League club Aston Villa. Born in Portugal, he is a youth international for England.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lino Gonçalo da Cruz Sousa | ||
| Date of birth | 19 January 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Lisbon, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Bristol Rovers (on loan from Aston Villa) | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2022 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| 2022−2024 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024– | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2024– | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019−2020 | England U15 | 2 | (0) |
| 2021 | England U16 | 2 | (0) |
| 2022 | England U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2022−2023 | England U18 | 8 | (0) |
| 2023− | England U19 | 10 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:55, 28 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:48, 24 March 2024 (UTC) | |||
Early life
editBorn in Portugal, when Sousa was eight-years-old he moved with his family from Lisbon to Wolverhampton. Sousa played for Aspire FC before joining the academy at West Bromwich Albion.[3] He attended Sandwell Academy from ages 11–16.
Career
editEarly career
editLino Sousa played regularly for the West Bromwich Albion team that reached the semi-finals of the 2021 FA Youth Cup despite only being 16-years-old himself at the time.[4]
Arsenal
editSousa joined Arsenal from West Brom in January 2022.[5] There was discussions at Arsenal in the summer of 2022 to fast-track Lino Sousa into first team training.[6][7] Sousa's quick development was reported to be part of the reason Arsenal allowed Joel Lopez's return to his native Spain in the summer of 2022, despite Lopez being a regular for the under-23 side and contributing two goals and five assists from left back.[8]
Sousa was taken on the first team pre-season training camp to Germany in the summer of 2022.[9] In September 2022, he was confirmed as being included in the Arsenal first team training and their travelling party as they prepared for the away UEFA Europa League match against FC Zurich.[10] He made his first Premier League match day squad on 18 September 2022 against Brentford and was then named among the match-day substitutes for Arsenal.[11]
Aston Villa
editOn 1 February 2024, Sousa signed for Premier League club Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee, immediately joining Championship side Plymouth Argyle on loan until the end of the season.[12][13] On 3 February, Sousa made his Football League debut as a late substitute in a 1–0 victory over Swansea City.[14]
On 14 August 2024, Sousa joined League One club Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the 2024–25 season.[15]
International career
editSousa has played for England at age group level but is also still eligible to represent Portugal, the country of his birth.[16] In September 2022 he was called up to the England national under-18 football team for the first time.[17]
On 22 March 2023, Sousa made his England U18 debut during a 2–1 win over Croatia in Medulin.[18] On 10 April 2023, Sousa was called up for Portugal U18 team.[19]
On 6 September 2023, Sousa made his England U19 debut during a 1–0 defeat to Germany in Oliva.[20]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 22 October 2024[21]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 2023–24 | Championship | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Bristol Rovers (loan) | 2024–25 | League One | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Career total | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 1 | ||
- ^ a b c Appearances in EFL Trophy
Honours
editArsenal U21
- FA Youth Cup runner-up: 2022–23[22]
References
edit- ^ Lino Sousa at WorldFootball.net
- ^ "Premier League clubs publish 2023/24 retained lists". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Lino Sousa in line to be given chance after Arsenal make transfer decision on left-back". Football.London. 17 June 2022.
- ^ "Arsenal told what to expect after completing exciting West Brom transfer". Birminghammail.co.uk. 28 January 2022.
- ^ "Arsenal snap up highly-rated youngster Lino Sousa from West Bromwich Albion". Sportsmole.co.uk.
- ^ "ARSENAL STAFF ARE RAVING ABOUT 'HUGELY TALENTED' TEENAGER, COULD NOW BE FAST-TRACKED". HITC.com.
- ^ "Mikel Arteta has already signed Kieran Tierney replacement at Arsenal after injury setback". Football.London.com. 6 April 2022.
- ^ "Lino Sousa Tipped To Replace Departing Joel Lopez". Sportbible.com.
- ^ "MIKEL ARTETA HAS TAKEN 17-YEAR-OLD ARSENAL TALENT TO GERMANY FOR PRE-SEASON". HITC.
- ^ "Lino Sousa to travel with Arsenal first team ahead of Europa League opener". The Athletic.
- ^ "15-year-old Ethan Nwaneri included in Arsenal squad to face Brentford". metro.co.uk. 18 September 2022.
- ^ "Sousa joins Aston Villa". www.avfc.co.uk. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Argyle Sign Lino Sousa". www.pafc.co.uk. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Whittaker gives Plymouth first away win at Swansea". BBC Sport. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "Lino Sousa joins Bristol Rovers on loan". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ "Lino Sousa joins the Arsenal Academy". Arsenal.com.
- ^ "5 Arsenal youngsters receive England call-ups". Daily Cannon.
- ^ Hides, Leanne (22 March 2023). "Report: Croatia 1-2 England MU18s".
- ^ "Lino Sousa: "venho aqui para mostrar o meu futebol"". FPF (in European Portuguese). 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ "Report: England MU19s 0-1 Germany". England Football. 6 September 2023.
- ^ "England - L. Sousa - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ "Hammers beat Arsenal 5–1 in the 2022–23 FA Youth Cup final at Emirates Stadium". The Football Association. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
External links
edit- Lino Sousa at Aston Villa F.C.
- Lino Sousa at Premier League
- Lino Sousa at Soccerway