Ajax have “firmly” joined Everton in the transfer race for Lyon defender Jake O’Brien this summer, according to Mike McGrath.
The Republic of Ireland international, who has drawn a lot of attention since going to France, is another player that the European powerhouses are interested in signing, according to a Telegraph journalist who revealed this via X on Thursday, July 25.
It’s expected that O’Brien will have to decide on his future sooner rather than later, even though it doesn’t seem evident who is leading the competition for his signing.
It is also believed that Everton’s Premier League rivals, Brentford, are interested in the 23-year-old; sources from France indicate that they have contacted Everton over a possible signing [Foot Mercato, July 24].
Will Jake O’Brien exit Lyon amid summer Everton and Ajax transfer interest?
Although Everton hasn’t seemed to have a clear shot at signing O’Brien this summer, it seems like the rivalry for the youthful defender is getting stronger every day over the past several weeks.
At first glance, Sean Dyche doesn’t seem to be in dire need of additional depth at center defense because he already has James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, but the Blues manager doesn’t have many options behind these two.
While Michael Keane has been the subject of conjecture since the beginning of the summer, Ben Godfrey has already left Goodison Park. Dyche’s options would be limited if Tarkowski or Branthwaite were to suffer any injuries this season.
O’Brien possesses the skill set to compete in one of Europe’s top leagues, so he would be able to contribute going forward as a regular starter in addition to providing depth in the event of an injury or suspension.
It will likely take a significant investment on the part of the Toffees to outspend their rivals for O’Brien’s signing, thus the only question left is how much money Dyche and Thelwell can afford to spend this summer.
