Portuguese Reports Claim Liverpool Close to Otávio Edmilson Deal

There have been plenty of names Liverpool have been linked with as the club look to replace the departed Gini Wijnaldum, players like Florian Neuhaus and Yves Bissouma and Youri Tielmans. Now, there might be a new name to add to the list: Otávio Edmilson.

The 26-year-old Brazilian plies his trade for FC Porto, and over the past few days a flurry of reports have come out of the Portuguese media claiming Liverpool are interested in Otávio. Now, those reports are claiming we’re well past interested and nearing imminent.

Part of the reason for it being imminent is Otávio currently has a €40, or about £34M, release clause that expires at the end of the month and is replaced by a €60M, or about £51M, release clause at the start of July. At least that’s the latest according to A Bola.

It should be noted that the track record of A Bola and other Portuguese outlets when it comes to linking the Reds with players at Portuguese clubs is, not to put too fine a point on it, dire. Still, the reported release clause angle does seem to mean there’s a deadline.

If Otávio, who scored five goals and 12 assists in 40 matches last season, is at the top of the list for the Reds then they’ve got two days now to push the deal through. It might also be worth noting that Porto have been rumoured to want to sign Liverpool’s Marko Grujic.