Dario Osorio is ‘not thinking about leaving’ Universidad de Chile despite interest from Premier League duo Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the one-time Wolves target, the youngster’s mother tells LUN.
When the 19-year-old whizzkid was being linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City a few months back, you’d have got long odds on Osorio still being a Universidad de Chile player heading into the final week of January 2023.
Wolves, El Cancha say, were ‘very close’ to signing Osorio last summer. Mat Hobbs, now the club’s sporting director, even travelled to South America in order to conduct negotiations; Wolves scouting Osorio during an U20 clash between Chile and England in September.
“When the proposal was real (from Wolves), we thought about going with him,” says Alicia Osorio. “It was already terrible that he was alone in Santiago. So (we would not let him go alone to) another country, so far away.”
Aston Villa and Tottenham now like Dario Osorio after Wolves links
It is not quite certain why Osorio did not end up at Molineux. Perhaps Wolves felt that they needed more experienced additions capable of making an immediate impact in the heat of a relegation battle. Craig Dawson, Mario Lemina and Pablo Sarabia have all arrived this month.
LUN report that Aston Villa and Tottenham could look to swoop in, weighing up moves of their own for arguably the most exciting young Chilean to emerge in many a year. But, with one lengthy transfer saga already behind him, Osorio is hoping to avoid another.
“Dario only wants to play,” Alicia adds. “He wants to continue in South America. He is not thinking about leaving.”
Osorio scored seven goals in 27 games during his breakthrough season at Universidad de Chile. Likened to Raphinha and Angel di Maria – former Chile goalkeeper Johnny Herrera even said he ‘plays like Gareth Bale’ – Osorio’s doting mum is doing her best to ensure this ‘extraordinary’ young talent keeps his feet firmly on the ground.
“We have to contain him. And, if he is wrong, we also tell him. For example, I tell him; ‘Dario, you’re walking (on the pitch). It shows and looks ugly. Just because I am his mother, I do not have to tell him that he played excellently!
“We always talk before and after the games with him.”
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