AliousEverton have reportedly reached an agreement in principle to sign Lyon centre-back Jake O’Brien, while maintaining their stance on Manchester United target Jarrad Branthwaite.
Despite making several signings and departures this summer, including the £50m exit of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa, Everton’s rejection of Manchester United’s bids for Branthwaite (up to £50m) has been the club’s biggest transfer story.
Everton values Branthwaite at over £70m, with his contract running until 2027.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Everton are close to signing O’Brien from Lyon.
The 6ft 6in Irish defender is expected to undergo a medical soon, with a potential five-year deal in the works.
O’Brien has had a rapid rise in his career, from Cork City to Lyon, where he’s made 32 appearances and scored five goals.
His performances have attracted interest from several Premier League clubs, with Lyon reportedly asking for £25m.
The potential signing of O’Brien is not expected to significantly impact Branthwaite’s future at Everton.
The club currently has Branthwaite, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, and Mason Holgate as centre-backs, with the latter two being fringe players.
Manchester United appears to be also targeting Bayern Munich’s Matthijs De Ligt, which could potentially cool their interest in Branthwaite.
However, the transfer window remains unpredictable.
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