This is definitely a record-breaking summer for Paris FC. And although the club has already made the two biggest investments in its history on the transfer market (Moses Simon for €7m and Noah Sangi for €9.5m), the Parisian club, promoted to Ligue 1, has no intention of stopping there.
The arrival of Otavio Ataide from FC Porto in exchange for a cheque of around €12m is proof of this.
Who is Porto’s Otavio Ataide?
Born in Brazil, Otavio first played on futsal courts before moving on to grass pitches. Talented and versatile, he quickly joined the Flamengo academy and made his professional debut in 2020. But his adventure at Mengao was short-lived.
Deprived of playing time with the first team and forced to play with the youth set-up, he left South America to join Portugal, where he signed on loan with an option to buy with Famalicao. There, the imposing centre-back quickly made his mark.
So much so that FC Porto decided to invest €12 million in him just one year after his arrival in Europe. With the Dragoes, Otavio continued his rise to prominence, establishing himself as one of the key players in Sergio Conçeiçao’s system, and later Martin Anselmi’s.
Now 23 years old, and despite his time in Portugal not ending on the best of terms (his end of season was marred by a suspension after the Brazilian failed to comply with his club’s curfew for his birthday party), the Sao Paulo native remains a player with undoubted potential.
How Otavio fits in at Paris FC?
Capable of playing in both a four-man and three-man defence, Otavio is a player with recognised physical qualities. Standing at 1.87m tall, he is nonetheless fast and agile, as well as precise with the ball at his feet.
“He has international potential, but he sometimes loses focus during matches and has significant lapses in concentration,” a Portuguese football observer told L’Équipe. And although his performances were noteworthy last season, his sale represents a significant cash injection for FC Porto, which is crippled by heavy debts.
