A host of clubs are interested in signing Everton defender Jake O’Brien.
The 23-year-old joined the Toffees in the summer transfer window from Lyon for a fee of £15 million.
He has played just 34 minutes of Premier League football this season and started in both Carabao Cup games.
According to a report from the Irish Daily Star (1 January, page 48), clubs in Italy and Germany are interested in him. Several Premier League clubs are also keen.
Sean Dyche is clearly not a huge fan of the Irish defender, with James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Jarrad Branthwaite are preferred ahead of him.
However, the Toffees have decided that they will not entertain any offers for the defender. Everton feel that they will be short of cover at centre-back.
New signings needed in January
The new owners are in place, the new stadium is on the horizon, and there is excitement about the future ahead.
But now is the time to focus on the present. Everton must ensure they stay away from relegation fight and move up the table in the second half of the season. They need a few players, but at the same time, they cannot spend lavishly due to PSR threats.
The biggest challenge Everton face at the moment is with the playing squad, as 13 out of 25 members set to leave the club in the summer.
On top of that, manager Sean Dyche and director of football Kevin Thelwell are also on contracts due to end in the summer.
They need to make decisions on players they want to keep, and that too quickly.
O’Brien should think about moving elsewhere on loan in January if his situation doesn’t improve.
Even during an extreme injury crisis, he didn’t get regular games. So, is there any point in wasting time on the bench for the rest of the season?
Nevertheless, it’s a tricky situation, and in all probability, he will be forced to stay at the club beyond the end of the transfer window.
