During this transfer window, Everton will be working extremely hard to hang onto center-back sensation Jarrad Branthwaite, even though they know it will be difficult to do so.
The breakout Toffees star, who was only signed by Carlisle United a few seasons prior to blossoming on Merseyside, is much sought-after by Manchester United. An eye-watering £70 million move to the Theatre of Dreams would undoubtedly entice the in-demand 22-year-old.
It appears likely that Sean Dyche’s team will try to sign a successor as soon as possible if the 6 foot 5 colossus decides to go for greener pastures this off-season, with this Ligue 1 defender supposedly on their agenda.
Everton is considering a former centre back for Crystal Palace
Former Crystal Palace player Jake O’Brien, currently wearing number twelve for Olympique Lyonnais, may soon return to the Premier League, with the Toffees being the only team from the top English level to express interest.
According to a recent Daily Mail article, Everton and West Ham United are keen to sign the 6’6″ giant, who has shown promise in his first season in France, even going up against players like Lyon’s Kylian Mbappe.
According to the source, it would require a big offer of £15 million to secure his services. Palace and Lyon would stand to gain significantly financially from such a trade, considering O’Brien was only sold for £850k.
As a result, O’Brien could prove to be the ideal successor to departing Branthwaite. The 23-year-old Irishman is eager to succeed in the Premier League after being denied the opportunity to play at the highest level with the Eagles.
What O’Brien might provide Everton with
Like Everton’s star number 32, who takes great satisfaction in winning duels with an authoritative and forceful style (5.3 wins per league game last season, according to Sofascore), O’Brien hasn’t been afraid to put in the work and use his impressive height to his advantage while pursuing his career in France.
O’Brien made effective use of his large body, managing four goals from 27 top-flight games in the previous season. He was also a cool player under pressure, completing 88% of his passes with accuracy each game.
Looking at many of the passing statistics between the two, O’Brien would defeat Branthwaite in a head-to-head match, but he still has a lot of defensive work to do. Dyche would like to see more of O’Brien’s unfinished product if he were to sign a contract and move to Goodison Park.
With only six Premier League appearances during the 21/22 season, Branthwaite did not enter the starting lineup right away for the Toffees. O’Brien may also benefit from James Tarkowski’s experience as a center-back partner, as he can bounce back from the veteran player.
While losing Branthwaite this summer would be unfortunate for Dyche and company, acquiring O’Brien would be a risk worth taking in an effort to discover their next hidden gem at the back.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Be the first to comment