Everton are close to completing a deal to sign Lyon defender Jake O’Brien for a €20million (£16.9m) fee.
The 23-year-old was given permission to travel to Merseyside on Saturday morning in order to finalise personal terms and is set to sign a four-year contract at Goodison Park with the option of an additional 12 months, subject to a medical.
O’Brien made 27 appearance for the French club last season, scoring four goals to help them to a sixth-placed finish in Ligue 1.
The Republic of Ireland international previously played for Crystal Palace but left last summer in order to play regular first-team football.
The south London club agreed a sell-on clause in the £1m deal that took O’Brien to France and will receive 20 per cent of the profit on his move to Everton — approximately £3.2m.
The centre-back joined Palace from Cork City in February 2021, initially on loan, and went on to represent the first-team during pre-season tours to Australia, Singapore and the United States before signing a permanent deal later that summer.
He spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Belgian side RWD Molenbeek, helping them to earn to promotion to the Belgian Pro League. Prior to that, he spent six months on loan at Swindon Town.
O’Brien has been a long-time target with manager Sean Dyche keen to strengthen this defensive options ahead of the new season following Ben Godfrey’s switch to Atalanta last month.
Everton, who completed the loan signing of Jesper Lindstrom on Friday, begin the new Premier League campaign at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on August 17.
Additional reporting by David Ornstein
(ARNAUD FINISTRE/AFP via Getty Images)
