David Otorbi renews with Valencia until 2031 as release clause rises to 60 million

David Otorbi has signed a contract renewal with Valencia CF until June 2031. The Spanish winger of Nigerian heritage, regarded as one of the most promising players to come through the Paterna academy, extends his deal at a delicate moment: he is recovering from a hamstring tear suffered in the last La Liga match at Mestalla.

• Valencia activates the automatic renewal and extends the player's contract until 2031.
• The release clause rises from 30 to 60 million euros.
• The agreement was signed on Tuesday and the club will make it official in the coming days.
• Otorbi faces around two months out with a hamstring injury.
• The club aims to fend off interest from Premier League sides such as Newcastle.

A 60 million release clause to deter Premier League interest

The move follows a clear strategy from sporting director Braulio Vázquez: to secure a player whose market value is growing. The previous contract included an automatic renewal clause that would be triggered after ten official appearances for the first team. Valencia decided not to wait and has now activated the extension, improving the player's terms and doubling his release clause from 30 to 60 million euros.

With this protection, the club aims to discourage the English sides that have been tracking the attacker. Newcastle sent scouts to Santander to watch him in person, a sign of the interest he generates in England. With this deal, Valencia closes off a low-cost exit route and strengthens its commitment to a player expected to play a key role in the project.

First Valencia goal before the injury setback

Otorbi's breakthrough into the first team has been one of the season's bright spots. Under Corberán he has become a regular presence in matchday squads, alternating starts and appearances from the bench. His first official goal came against Racing, a strike that confirmed his progress and raised expectations among the Mestalla crowd.

The muscle injury has brought that upward moment to a halt. The winger has a hamstring tear that will keep him sidelined for around two months. The recovery period demands patience, but the renewal arrives as an explicit show of support from the club during his rehabilitation.

From the Maritime Districts to breaking precocity records

Born in 2007 in the Valencia neighbourhood of Nazaret, David Otorbi Ejededawe is the son of Nigerian parents, Monday and Patience. He joined the Valencia academy in 2019 at the age of 12, after developing at Atlético Cabanyal, a school in the Maritime Districts founded by Nacho Gallart.

Gallart, his first coach, wrote the report that led to his admission into the Valencia academy. His story with Otorbi began with an unusual decision: he left him out of the team for a year because he saw him as excessively individualistic. The player himself asked to change his approach and become more team-oriented, and from that point they won several championships together until Valencia came calling. Gallart later became his agent.

Otorbi is the youngest player to debut with Valencia in an official match: he did so at 16 years, two months and 19 days in the Copa del Rey against Cartagena. He also holds the club's youngest La Liga debut record, at 16 years and 306 days in a match against Barcelona.

Complete development and the Pantera nickname in Paterna

The club has looked after the player on and off the pitch. He was enrolled in a private school next to the Paterna training ground, with which Valencia has an education partnership. A club employee picked him up every day from home, took him to school and then to training, with evenings organised between the academy residence and his studies.

At the academy he earned the nickname Pantera because of his speed and power. Teammates such as Leslie Okai, a close friend, helped popularise it. Otorbi has also shown a rare ability to recognise his own weaknesses: he has admitted that he does not like defending, but that working with coaches and analysing his own matches has helped him improve that side of his game.

After completing his secondary education and a BTEC qualification, he is now preparing to obtain a coaching licence, currently studying at level 1. That preparation adds to the support he receives from the academy's Talent Management team.

A fourth contract in a steady rise

With this agreement, Otorbi signs his fourth deal with Valencia, counting the initial incorporation at the age of 12. After arriving in 2019, he renewed in October 2023 with his first professional contract at 16. In April 2026 he signed an extension until 2028 with a 30 million release clause, which included the automatic renewal now activated.

The new horizon until 2031 and the 60 million clause consolidate Otorbi's status in the club's sporting planning. Valencia is betting on one of its most exciting prospects and giving him time to complete his recovery calmly, away from the Premier League spotlight.