Tottenham Hotspur have now completed the process that was holding up Santos’ efforts to lift their transfer ban.
After days of waiting for key documentation linked to Souza’s £12.8m (€15m) move to north London, Santos have officially settled their outstanding debt with FC Arouca, according to Bolavip in Brazil.
The Brazilian club paid €2.5m (£2.1m) to clear the issue related to defender João Basso’s transfer. As a result, FIFA will remove Santos from its sanctions list and the club can once again register players.
Christian Oliva, their newly signed midfielder who had been unable to feature due to the restriction, is now expected to be registered immediately.
From delay to resolution
Earlier this week, we covered Brazilian reports stating that Santos were waiting on a formal document from Tottenham before they could finalise payment to Arouca. That delay effectively kept the transfer ban in place. Now, the matter has been resolved.
While the exact administrative timeline has not been detailed publicly, the key point is that the funds connected to the Tottenham deal have now been used to unlock the situation.
Interestingly, this comes only weeks after Santos had structured an international banking operation to bring forward their share of the Souza fee, using Spurs’ financial reliability as the backbone of the arrangement. The club anticipated around £13.7m (€16.2m) from the deal.
The recent hold-up therefore appeared procedural rather than structural. The payment has now been made.
What this means beyond the ban
The immediate benefit is obvious. Santos can register new signings and continue squad planning without restriction. However, the wider implication is financial breathing space.
The money from Tottenham does not simply resolve the €2.5m (£2.1m) debt. It also strengthens Santos’ short-term liquidity during a delicate restructuring phase. The club’s overall debt remains significant, and cash flow management is critical.
In practical terms, Spurs’ transfer fee has helped Santos stabilise operations and maintain momentum in the market.
For Tottenham, this closes a small but closely watched side story. For Santos, it restores flexibility – and gives them room to use the remaining funds strategically rather than firefighting sanctions. In the meanwhile, Souza is still waiting for his first start at Spurs.