Liverpool were ready to make a move for one of Valencia’s emerging talents, but the Spanish club has responded with a contract decision that could complicate the Premier League side’s pursuit.
The development comes as Liverpool continue to search for a long-term solution on the right wing, a position that has remained a recruitment priority following Mohamed Salah’s departure from Anfield in August.
The club have already encountered resistance in their attempts to strengthen that area, with approaches for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr failing to produce a deal. Their attention has now turned towards a younger prospect whose development at Valencia has attracted growing interest from England.
According to Tribuna Deportivo, Liverpool informed Valencia and the representatives of 19-year-old winger David Otorbi this week that they were prepared to activate the €30 million release clause in his contract.
Valencia moved swiftly to protect their position. The club triggered a three-year extension option in Otorbi’s deal, which ties him to Mestalla until 2031, and doubled his release clause from €30 million to €60 million.
The extension mechanism was linked to a condition requiring Otorbi to make ten first-team appearances of at least 45 minutes. Valencia considered that threshold close enough to being reached and activated the option.
The decision substantially increases the financial commitment required from any club hoping to sign the winger, whether during the January transfer window or next summer.
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Liverpool’s pursuit of Otorbi comes after a busy period of attacking recruitment that has yet to resolve every question in their forward line.
Bradley Barcola arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in August for a reported £123 million, strengthening the left side of Andoni Iraola’s attack. Victor Munoz, meanwhile, joined from Osasuna for £34.5 million and has offered another option on the right alongside Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha.
However, Liverpool’s efforts to recruit an established right winger have encountered significant resistance.
Two reported bids of £50 million and £60 million for Brighton’s Minteh were rejected, with Brighton holding out for £80 million. A separate £50 million offer for Crystal Palace’s Sarr was also unsuccessful, with Palace chairman Steve Parish saying the move was “never going to happen” because of the difference between the clubs’ valuations.
Against that backdrop, Otorbi represents a different kind of target: a young player whose potential could make him an option for the future, rather than an immediate solution to Liverpool’s recruitment problem.
Who is David Otorbi?
Born in Valencia’s El Cabanyal neighbourhood to Nigerian parents, Otorbi joined the club’s academy in 2019 and has progressed through its development system.
He became Valencia’s youngest-ever debutant on January 7, 2024, when he appeared in a Copa del Rey tie against Cartagena aged 16 years, two months and 19 days. He later broke the club’s La Liga debut record, making his first appearance in the competition against Barcelona in August 2024 at 16 years and 306 days old.
His recent progress has brought him closer to the first-team picture under Javier Aguirre. Otorbi scored his first senior goal on October 11, finding the net seven minutes after coming on as a substitute in a 2-2 draw away to Racing Santander. He has since received further first-team minutes, including an appearance against Athletic Club.
His development has also attracted attention beyond Liverpool. Newcastle United have been linked with scouting interest, while Otorbi’s agent, Nacho Gallart, told Radio Marca on October 13 that several English clubs had made contact about the winger’s situation.
Gallart said, however, that Otorbi’s priority remained securing playing time at Valencia under Aguirre.
Could Liverpool’s Valencia connection matter?
Liverpool already have a connection with the Spanish club through Harvey Elliott, who joined Valencia on loan this season.
Whether that relationship could play a role in any future approach for Otorbi remains unclear. There is no confirmation that Elliott’s move is connected to Liverpool’s interest in the teenager, or that the two clubs have held further negotiations over him.
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What is clear from the report is that Valencia have moved to strengthen their contractual position after Liverpool indicated a willingness to meet the previous release clause.
By raising the figure to €60 million and extending Otorbi’s deal until 2031, Valencia have made any potential transfer considerably more expensive. Liverpool must now decide whether the winger’s promise justifies pursuing a deal on those revised terms.
