Otavio has decided to leave Porto on a free transfer this summer with Leicester City and Wolves likely to be on red alert, as reported by Calciomercato.
With even the richest Premier League clubs still counting the cost of an unprecedented financial crisis, the chance to sign a highly talented central midfielder for absolutely nothing feels too good to miss.
Otavio was the tempo-setting, defence-splitting, ball-winning heart of Porto’s 2020 Primeira Liga triumph; his tally of assists (15) bettered by his number of yellow cards (16).
In an era of midfield specialists, the 26-year-old Brazilian feels like an old-school throwback – a man who can dictate and destroy.
No wonder he has so many admirers.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Otavio is a target for a Leicester City side whose lack of top-quality midfield depth has been brutally exposed by the injury-enforced absences of James Maddison, Dennis Praet and co.
The Mirror (28 July, page 66) reported last summer that Wolverhampton Wanderers were interested too, when Otavio was valued at £15 million.
After an underwhelming 2020/21 season, do not be surprised if Wolves reignite their interest in a man who combines the technique and tenacity of a Joao Moutinho with real game-changing quality in the final third.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have gone from neutral’s favourites to stalemate specialists in recent months, and Otavio feels like a player capable of bringing the entertainment factor back to Molineux.
After months of uncertainty, Calciomercato reports that Otavio has finally made a decision on his immediate future – he will walk away from Porto when his contract expires in July.
AC Milan have allegedly offered him a four-year deal worth £25,000-a-week.
It is not hard to imagine Wolves or Leicester, emboldened by the riches of the Premier League, bettering that.
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