Sean Dyche has done an outstanding job as Everton manager since his hiring in 2022, especially given the club’s off-field difficulties. From failed takeovers to point deductions, the Toffees have been through it all, raising worries about the club’s perennial Premier League existence. The Everton manager managed them to survival by 14 points last season, despite receiving a combined eight-point deduction for violating the league’s PSR regulations.
He depended on key players to help his team survive the scare, with James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Amadou Onana all playing important parts in their end-of-season form, which saw them win five of the last eight games. However, he is not satisfied with another relegation struggle in 2024/25, and is looking for many players to help propel the Toffees to a mid-table position and build on their excellent performances at the close of the previous season. Everton prepares £30 million bid for exceptional talent.
According to French publication Ferveur Lyonnaise, Everton are preparing a summer approach to capture Lyon’s Irish centre-back Jake O’Brien. However, the Toffees are not the only club interested in the 23-year-old, with rival Premier League teams Nottingham Forest and West Ham United also vying for his signature, which may cost about £30 million.
He’s had a wonderful breakout season in Ligue 1, appearing in 27 games, scoring four times, and assisting twice – an impressive record for a centre-back in his first full season of senior football in France. However, O’Brien is not the only teenager linked with a move to Goodison Park this summer; Dyche’s team is reportedly interested in signing Hull City forward Jaden Philogene. The Toffees made a £16 million bid for the 22-year-old, but journalist David Ornstein has confirmed that he will instead join newly promoted Ipswich Town after a £18 million deal was finalized.
Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding the Philogene deal, the club is in a strong position to sign centre-back O’Brien this summer, maybe as a replacement for an exiting Toffees player. Why O’Brien might be the man to replace Branthwaite Manchester United recently proposed a new agreement for defender Branthwaite, but the bid was quickly rejected, with Dyche’s side still demanding at least £65 million to part ways with the teenager.
According to prior reports, the defender has already agreed personal terms with Erik ten Hag’s side, with Branthwaite being the Red Devils’ top target to partner Lisandro Martinez at Old Trafford. However, Everton fans should not be concerned, as O’Brien has produced some fantastic stats that might see him become the ideal player to replace the 22-year-old next season.
Despite playing eight less matches in 2023/24, the “unbelievable” defender, as described by Irish Football broadcaster Paul Nealon, contributed twice as many goals and assists from the back. O’Brien has improved significantly with the ball at his feet, with an 80% increase in pass accuracy over the last year, as well as over seven times more progressive carries, allowing Dyche’s team to play a more wide approach next season. Furthermore, with the Lyon star towering 6 feet 6 in comparison to Branthwaite’s 6 foot 5, they would obtain a player with a comparable profile.
Branthwaite would obviously be a major loss for the Toffees in 2024/25 and beyond, but with improved recruitment, they may be able to sign a like-for-like successor who has the potential to advance his career. He has yet to play in the Premier League, but his experience in Ligue 1 has demonstrated that he is capable of having an impact in the world’s most important football league.
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