French powerhouse Lyon has outbid Manchester City’s consortium to secure the signing of young Irish defender Jake O’Brien from Crystal Palace.City Group, overseeing multiple clubs, including the Premier League champions, expressed their interest in Crystal Palace’s defender earlier this year, presenting an offer of $1.5 million. Their plan was to place the towering defender with Troyes, a club recently relegated from Ligue One. However, it will be Laurent Blanc’s Lyon that O’Brien will be joining in France on a long-term contract, subject to the finalization of the sale by Palace.##NAJAVA_MECA_7417790##Although Roy Hodgson aimed to grant the youngster valuable first-team experience this season, retaining him was proving difficult due to his current deal having only 12 months remaining. Lyon received $38.55 million from the sale of defender Castello Lukeba to RB Leipzig, and a fraction of that sum (approximately 10 per cent) will be allocated to secure O’Brien’s services.🇮🇪| Jake O’Brien is apparently leaving Crystal Palace and joining French side LyonWhat a move for the Cork manBest of luck in France Jake🇫🇷👏🏻pic.twitter.com/ciuP1Gh0gg— IrishPropaganda🇮🇪⚽️ (@IrishPropaganda) August 10, 2023 Initially signed by Palace in 2020 after making strides within the Cork City setup, O’Brien was subsequently loaned to Swindon Town. His next destination was RWD Molenbeek, also financially supported by American billionaire John Textor. O’Brien excelled, amassing 30 appearances and netting three goals, contributing to their promotion to the top-tier Belgian league.Furthermore, he showcased his prowess on the international stage, breaking into and maintaining his spot in the Ireland U21 squad.
