Everton have moved to bolster their defence with the signing of Irish international centre-half, Jake O'Brien from Olympique Lyonnais.

The 23-year-old former Crystal Palace player put pen to paper on a four-year deal with a club option for a fifth, having been linked with the Blues for much of the summer as speculation swirled around the future of Jarrad Branthwaite.

Everton look well-positioned to rebuff interest in Branthwaite this summer but the assumption over the long term is that the highly sought-after Cumbrian will eventually be pried away. 

In the meantime, O'Brien will set about trying to break into the first team at Goodison Park where Branthwaite and James Tarkowksi have formed a formidable partnership, a challenge that at least gave the Republic of Ireland defender pause for consideration before agreeing to sign, given that he was a regular starter for Lyon.

However, Everton skipper Seamus Coleman is said to have played a big role in selling the Club to his compatriot as they beat off competition from the likes of Wolves, Brentford and Ajax to land the 6'-6" player. 

“I’m buzzing and so happy to have signed for Everton,” O’Brien said after joining the Toffees. “I've been dreaming of this kind of move in the Premier League, with such a historic club. It's a very exciting move for me.

“Everton is a huge club with a lot of history behind it and there's a big future as well. When the transfer window opened, there were other clubs in for me but there was only one club I wanted to go to – it was Everton.

“They’ve shown the faith in me so now it's my turn to show why on the pitch.

“Seamus has been on to me to sign for Everton! He’s a top guy, a brilliant captain, and to play under him here as well as with Ireland will be a privilege.

“He’s the best captain I've ever played under. He's massively respected – not just here but in the football world in general.

“I've met all of the lads in the squad and you can sense straight away that it's a tight-knit group. Obviously, having Seamus here will help me as well.”

"Seamus has been on to me to sign for Everton!" — Jake O'Brien
Image © Everton FC

Described by former Swindon Town manager Ben Garner as "brave as a lion", O'Brien began his career at Cork City in his native Ireland before being picked up by Crystal Palace after impressing on what was initially a loan move to the Eagles' development team.

He had additional loan spells at Swindon and Molenbeek in Belgium before signing for Lyon for just €1m last year where he has excelled and become a target for a handful of Premier League clubs, including Brentford, Wolves and Everton while Ajax Amsterdam had been heavily linked this month.

Last season, O'Brien helped the Ligue 1 side propel themselves from relegation danger and up to a 6th-place finish, emerging as the team's second-top scorer in the process.

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