Krishnan Sreekumar
Transfer News: Liverpool face competition from Manchester United for Porto winger Otavio in the summer
According to A Bola (h/t Daily Mail), several European clubs are interested in securing the services of Porto winger Otavio at the end of the current campaign, who has been hugely impressive in Liga NOS this season.
Liverpool are said to be monitoring the player’s performances for Porto this season, after only just raiding the Portuguese club for another winger in Luis Diaz in the January transfer window, just months before.
However, the Reds will face competition from United in the race to secure the signature of Otavio in the summer, as the Manchester club are also keen on adding on to their attacking ranks. Newly-rich Newcastle United are also interested in signing the winger, after the brilliant transfer business they did in the winter window.
The Red Devils are currently struggling in attack, with goals coming far and few this term despite boasting names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, and Marcus Rashford in the senior squad. Their poor showing in front of goal sees us sit in sixth place in the Premier League table.
Massive buyout clause
Otavio is regarded to be an extremely versatile player, who is capable of playing anywhere across the front line. Given his skill set, the Red Devils could potentially see him as an upgrade on Rashford and Anthony Martial, who is on loan at Sevilla currently due to lack of game time in England.
However, the Old Trafford side will have to pay his buyout clause of £50m in order to seal the deal to bring him to the Premier League. Having done business before with the Liga NOS side for the transfers of Diogo Dalot and Alex Telles, we can hope that we still have an open line of communication with the two-time European Cup/UEFA Champions League winners.
Then again, the Merseysiders have also conducted business with them in recent seasons, buying Luis Diaz in January this year after previously offloading Marko Grujic to the Estadio do Dragao outfit.
Our attackers on the wing have seen a stark change this season, with new faces in Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga claiming the spot for their own. The pair has been hugely impressive since the start of 2022, keeping names like Rashford, Juan Mata, and Jesse Lingard out of the team.
Otavio’s arrival next season could change this once again, with the 27-year-old proving he has what it takes to handle the responsibility of playing in an attacking position on the flanks with his performances in Portugal and in Europe.
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A Portugal international as well now, the player has grown from strength to strength while at Porto, and he looks ready for the next big step in his playing career. At 27, he is arguably in the prime years of his playing career, and clubs could look to take advantage of that.
His former teammate Diaz moved to Liverpool and has taken to life in the Premier League rather well, settling in quickly and also scoring goals. The hope will be that Otavio recreates the same form in England, but producing that in games for United rather than the Reds.
