When he made the surprise move to Lyon last summer, not many people would have expected Jake O’Brien to have such a major impact during his first season at the club.
The Youghal native was relatively unknown among general football fans prior to that. He made only a handful of appearances for Cork City before joining Crystal Palace, before spending time on loan at Swindon Town and RWD Molenbeek.
It was at the Belgian club where he would catch the eye of Lyon, who signed him for around £2million.
O’Brien would initially have to bide his time in France, sitting on the bench as Lyon found themselves hovering around the Ligue 1 relegation zone. However, after coming into the team at the start of October, he would never look back.
The Irishman helped the club to a sixth place finish in the league, as well as a French Cup final appearance (where he would score in a 2-1 loss to PSG).
Having made his international debut against Hungary earlier this week, he is now starting to draw the attentions of some big names clubs around Europe.
Léigh an scéal seo trà Ghaeilge ar LiathróidÃ.ie brúigh anseo.
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Borussia Dortmund reportedly showing interest in Ireland star
According to the Irish Independent, Borussia Dortmund are the latest club to show an interest in signing Jack O’Brien this summer.
The Champions League finalists could be in the market for a centre back over the coming weeks, with Mats Hummels’ future looking uncertain.
Everton have also been heavily linked with the 23-year old in recent months, with Lyon having reportedly rebuffed their advances back in January.
As well as that, it is mentioned AC Milan are ‘keen’ to bring O’Brien to Serie A. Juventus have also been linked with his services in recent weeks.
Clubs of that stature showing an interest in Jake O’Brien points towards just how impressive he was at Lyon this summer. The defender also put in a brilliant performance after coming on at halftime in Ireland’s win over Hungary earlier this week.
Whether he stays at Lyon or moves elsewhere this summer, he is clearly a hugely exciting prospect.
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