In a recent print edition, Record mentioned that Aston Villa are among several clubs hoping to sign Porto winger Otavio this summer. It has been mentioned that the Villans could face stiff competition in the form of Leeds United and Leicester City in pursuit of the Portuguese wide player.
Otavio’s Impressive Numbers At The Estádio do Dragão
Otavio experienced a productive campaign in Portuguese football as he put in several impressive displays for Porto in the final third. The 27-year-old featured in 49 matches for his current employers last season, netting five goals and picking up 14 assists in multiple competitions.
The Brazil-born sensation gave a good account of himself by averaging 3.2 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 0.5 clearances, 1.6 shots, 2.2 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per 90 minutes in Liga Portugal. He was even tidy when distributing possession in the opposition half after he made 79.3% of his attempted passes in the Portuguese top-flight (stats via whoscored).
What Will Otavio Bring To Aston Villa?
Otavio usually works hard to offer decent protection for his teammates on the defensive end of the field. He can make a few clever runs with the ball towards the opponent’s penalty box and has got the vision to orchestrate some meaningful openings for others around him in the final third.
The Portuguese sensation can even chip by scoring a handful of important goals for his team. Thus, a winger of Otavio’s skillset will be a massive coup for the Villans in this off-season.
At 27, the Porto star is playing at the top of his game and would bring a lot of goals and creativity to Aston Villa head coach Steven Gerrard‘s attack. However, only time will tell whether Otavio is good enough to cope with the physicality and high intensity of Premier League football.
Gerrard needs to add more firepower to his frontline if he wants to have a strong squad capable of finishing in the top half of the league table next season. Otavio fits the bill perfectly as he has what it takes to become a real fan favorite at Villa Park as long as he can maintain his high standards in English football.
