Signed on loan from Benfica at the end of August, Oliveira netted on his Nottingham Forest debut against Queens Park Rangers and made a real name for himself with his next goal for the club, the winner in the East Midlands derby at the City Ground in early November.
The 24-year-old has scored another seven times since then, an impressive haul for a player thrown straight into the non-stop grind of a Championship season and for a side who were struggling for goals before his arrival.
A nomadic career to date has seen Oliveira play in Spain, France and England as well as his native Portugal but the benefits of regular first-team football seem to be suiting him on the banks of the Trent.
Oliveira had a brief spell with Swansea City in the latter part of last season but Premier League clubs will surely have been watching in recent weeks and been impressed with how the player has carried the burden of being the main goal threat for Dougie Freedman's side.
"We have to be patient with Nelson. The crowd get on his back a little bit, but we have to be patient because he is a wonderful footballer," said Freedman, quoted in the Nottingham Post after Tuesday's match.
"He does the unexpected, he is a flair player and he is going to give the ball away in certain areas sometimes."
Freedman has already said there is no prospect of a City Ground stay for the player but he may well be back in England next season.