Liverpool are having a fairly quiet start to the summer window, but there could be a move for Porto ace Otavio in the pipeline.
The Reds have brought in Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, but fans are now hoping for further reinforcements to bolster Jurgen Klopp’s squad this summer.
Another creative player would be great, and Liverpool appear to have found one – but there’s a real race against time.
The player Liverpool want is Porto’s Otavio. He racked up 12 assists last season and is admired by Klopp according to A Bola.
The Brazilian is a talented, creative player, and at 26 he is just hitting his best years and could give Liverpool what they have lacked since Philippe Coutinho’s exit.
With a €40million (£34million) release clause, Liverpool have the chance to sign Otavio without negotiating with Porto for his signature.
There’s just one problem.
That release clause expires at the end of today, because Otavio’s new contract – which kicks into effect on July 1st – sees that release clause jump from €40million to €60million (£51.5million).
Liverpool have tried to get around it. A Bola claim they’ve offered €23million (£19.75million) plus midfielder Marko Grujic, but Porto officials are thought to be adamant – the release clause is paid or no deal.
That leaves Liverpool scrambling in the final hours of today. Do they pay the £34million and get Otavio in before Porto’s negotiating stance strengthens, or move on to another target?
If that release clause jumps up, Porto will be under even less pressure to take Liverpool’s part-exchange ideas, and the new full fee would surely be even further out of Liverpool’s range.
The next hours will tell us a lot about just how much Liverpool want Otavio. They’re running out of time to pay the clause and get Otavio signed up; it already seems like it’s out of reach.
Yet if Otavio isn’t a Liverpool player in the coming hours, it’s fair to predict that he won’t be come one at all this summer.
Over to you, Michael Edwards.
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