Why Walking Away From David Otorbi At £50m Makes Sense For Liverpool
Liverpool’s interest in a new right sided attacker appears to have cooled, with Valencia moving quickly to protect one of their brightest young forwards from Premier League interest. According to Tribuna Deportiva Valencia, the Spanish club have activated an extension in David Otorbi’s contract, pushing his deal through to 2031 and sharply increasing his release clause in the process.
That single move has changed the picture entirely for a player Liverpool had been watching closely as part of their search for options on the right of the attack.
A promising talent, but the numbers have shifted
The 19 year old has built a reputation in Spain as a direct, right footed winger who likes to attack defenders at pace. He has made clear progress with Valencia this season, though a thigh injury has briefly slowed his momentum in recent weeks.
Under the previous terms of his deal, Otorbi’s release clause sat at around €30m, roughly £25m, a figure that made plenty of sense for a club looking to move early on a promising young talent before the price climbed. Valencia’s new terms have reportedly doubled that figure to around €60m, close to £50m, while also improving the player’s own terms. At that price, Liverpool’s enthusiasm has understandably dropped away.
The right wing search continues regardless
This remains an area of the squad Liverpool are still working on. The club already strengthened the forward line last summer with the additions of Victor Munoz and Bradley Barcola, but a natural right sided option still looks to be on the radar. Otorbi always looked like one option among several rather than a must have signing, so stepping back here should not be read as a change of heart over his ability.
This is simply how these situations tend to play out. Interest can be genuine and talks can progress, only for one contractual decision at the selling club to shift the value of a deal enough that the buying side walks away. It is a question of price and timing rather than a verdict on the player himself.
Valencia come out on top either way
From Valencia’s perspective, this is smart business. They have tied down one of their most exciting young attackers and strengthened their hand for any future negotiation. For Liverpool, the sensible path is simply to park the file rather than meet a number that no longer represents value, and for now a move to Anfield looks to have slipped well down the list of priorities.
Our take
We think this is the right call. Otorbi clearly has talent, and there is a lot to like about his pace, his confidence on the ball and the way he has started to make an impression in La Liga. But paying £50m for a 19 year old who is still developing, and currently managing an injury setback, would be a significant gamble.
Liverpool do need reinforcements on the right side of the attack, there is no disputing that. Even so, there is little sense in paying a premium simply because a selling club has reacted sharply to transfer interest. That is precisely how recruitment mistakes happen. At £25m this always looked like shrewd business. At £50m, it is a completely different proposition.
There is no need to rush either. Well run clubs keep scouting, keep patient and wait for the right moment rather than overpaying out of urgency. If Otorbi keeps progressing at Valencia, Liverpool may well revisit the idea further down the line, but for now this looks like exactly the kind of deal worth letting go. Valencia have played their hand well, and Liverpool can turn their attention elsewhere to options that fit the budget more sensibly.