Otavio: Things to know about the in-demand winger

Thanks to Bruno Fernandes' impressive start to life with Manchester United, scouts from across the globe are looking at the Portuguese league as a source of genuine talent for the present and not just the future.

The next star swapping Portugal for England could be Porto forward Otavio, who is on the radar of Liverpool and is rumoured to have made Jurgen Klopp a huge fan with his impressive performances at the Estadio do Dragao.

Here's everything you need to know about him.

1. He was known as Otavinho for his small frame

Not exactly known for his physique, Otavio has faced a lot of scepticism because of his slight frame. In fact, he was so small that he earned himself the nickname Otavinho - 'Little Otavio'.

He now stands at around 5'8, and he's actually earned a reputation for being surprisingly impressive in the air. Otavio isn't going to bully any centre-backs, but he can hold his own when needed.

2. He's a versatile forward

In youth football, Otavio was always a central midfielder, but when he graduated to Porto's senior team, there was an acceptance that he would get absolutely flattened in the heart of the pitch.

As a result, then-boss Nuno Espirito Santo decided to move Otavio further forward or out to the wing, where he could focus solely on his dribbling and not spend time worrying about his physique.

These days, Otavio spends most of his time as a left winger, but you'll see him on the right, as a 10 and occasionally as a striker, and you'll even see him popping up in his old central midfield position on occasion.

3. Diego Forlan helped him realise he could make it

Otavio made his Internacional debut as a 17-year-old in 2012, but being the fourth-youngest player in club history didn't actually sink in and he didn't really process just how special he was.

That realisation came one year later, when Otavio was starting ahead of the legendary Diego Forlan, who was obviously coming to the end of his career but was still the 2010 World Cup hero.

"He's always been an idol, he plays a lot, there's nothing else to say about him," Otavio told Globo Esporte. "I was happy, but I will never say that I put him on the bench, it was the coach who opted for it."

4. He idolises Ronaldinho

Forlan is one of many idols Otavio is happy to praise in the media. Deco, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo are three others who helped shape his game.

However, if Otavio could pick just one man to idolise, he would not hesitate to tell you 'Ronaldinho'.

"I always loved his style," he told O Jogo, and Otavio actually lived a dream of lining up against Ronaldinho shortly after his debut in 2012.

5. He used to have a scary partnership with Fred

Picture the scene. It's 2013, Otavio is leading an Internacional attack with some great one-twos, and he's tearing through defences alongside his partner-in-crime... Fred.

Now an anchor man at Manchester United, Fred used to be a devastating attacking midfielder and used to tear it up alongside Otavio.

Otavio's emergence in 2013 actually contributed to Fred's moving back into midfield, and he remains there to this day.

6. He'll take a dig on social media

He's long been a popular player among Porto fans, but Otavio took his fame to new heights when he chose to poke fun at rivals Benfica and left-back Alex Grimaldo in May 2021.

The two sides drew 1-1, after which Grimaldo complained about the refereeing by saying: "Same story as always, shameful."

Otavio's response? To post a picture of the match stats (which were heavily in Porto's favour), with the caption: "Shameful, same story as always."

7. He's known for his creativity & flair

One of the most stereotypical wingers you'll find, Otavio isn't really known for his goal threat and instead focuses on using speed, agility and movement to overwhelm defenders.

He'll regularly cut inside from the wing to try and run the show in a central role, dragging defenders around and waiting for the perfect moment to pick the right pass.

Otavio's assist numbers might not look particularly impressive, but his game isn't about stats. He creates plenty of chances for his team, either directly or indirectly.

For more from ​Tom Gott, follow him on ​Twitter!