In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that Olympique Lyonnais defender Jake O’Brien is set to have his medical at Everton soon. It has been revealed that the Toffees have offered the Irish centre-back a five-year contract with his medical scheduled to take place this Sunday.
O’Brien’s Impressive Form In Ligue 1 Last Season
O’Brien was a rock at the back for Lyon last season when he put in a handful of dominant performances for them on the defensive end of the field. The Irish talent featured in 32 matches for the French outfit in the previous campaign, scoring five goals and grabbing two assists in multiple competitions.
The Cork-born talent gave a good account of himself when defending inside his half based on his average of 0.8 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 3.6 clearances per game in Ligue 1. He was even accurate with his ball distribution, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 88.3% in the French top flight (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the French club will run out in the summer of 2027. Therefore, Everton have done well to agree on a deal to land O’Brien this off-season.
Is O’Brien A Good Signing For Everton?
O’Brien is a good tackler of the ball and can scan the danger well to make the odd interception for his side inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the front foot. The Irish sensation is even proficient at playing his way out from the back.
Standing at 1.97, O’Brien can use his towering frame to win a lot of 50-50 aerial duels for his team. However, he is still unproven at the highest level and would need time to settle into life in the Premier League.
We can expect O’Brien to add more bite and steel to Everton head coach Sean Dyche’s defensive department. He has what it takes to challenge for a regular first-team spot at Goodison Park next season.
At 23, O’Brien has a bright future ahead of him and could prove to be a great signing for the Toffees in the long run. However, Dyche has to be patient with his progress before he can get the best out of him at the Merseyside club.
