The latest chapter in the turbulent career of Dani Osvaldo appears to be drawing nearer with Portuguese press reporting that a move to Porto is edging closer to completion. With his Southampton contract rescinded and a permanent move to Boca Juniors not in the thoughts of Osvaldo, the troublesome 29-year-old has spent the last few weeks in a state of limbo. With his agent working overtime on the lookout for a twelfth club in his client’s short career it would appear Porto will be the latest to take a punt on the talented but highly volatile striker.

Since becoming a free agent almost a month ago when Southampton decided to tear up his existing deal with two years still to run, Dani Osvaldo has cut a relaxed figure in Buenos Aires. The 29-year-old was already in his home city after completing a loan spell with Boca Juniors, the club he supported as a boy and although the Primera league leaders were keen to retain his services and partner him in attack with his friend Carlos Tevez, Osvaldo decided it was best he left Argentina again.

Moves to Italy with Fiorentina and Lazio, México with Cruz Azul, the MLS with New York Red Bulls and most recently Spanish club Real Betis have all been mentioned as possible destinations. For one reason or another all of these have fallen by the wayside until this week when Osvaldo was spotted in Uruguay, apparently signing for Atlética Sud América.

The Uruguayan club have been penalised by FIFA previously for acting as a “bridge” club where a player signs for them for a very short amount of time before moving again to Europe in an effort to avoid certain taxes.

Osvaldo is a free agent and Uruguay is certainly not his next port of call, at least not for very long. Portuguese newspaper O Jogo has reported that El Loco will sign a two-year deal with Porto.

The 29-year-old was keen to return to Europe and certainly the prospect of playing for a club like Porto in the Champions League will appeal. The transfer is yet to be confirmed by either Osvaldo or Porto but if indeed it has gone via Uruguay it will be a suitably complicated and shady route that mirrors his tumultuous career.

The very fact that this will be Osvaldo’s twelfth club as a professional since bursting into the Huracán side in 2005 is proof enough of his problems. However, the list of European clubs willing to roll the dice and take on this type of player also highlights his undoubted skill. Porto will be hopeful that they will become the first club to tame Osvaldo and actually bear the fruits of his talents. It has been suggested that the Osvaldo gamble cost Southampton £25 million, the Dragões will not need to break the bank to get the striker to Portugal but will still be praying they will not the latest club to get burned.