There appears to be a few misconceptions about what Everton’s new signing means for the make-up of Sean Dyche’s side.
Perhaps inevitably, when it emerged that The Toffees were bringing a centre-half to Goodison Park, speculation surrounding Jarrad Branthwaite’s future went into overdrive once again.
But having sold Amadou Onana to Aston Villa for £50 million – and with Manchester United yet to meet their eye-watering asking price – the chances of Branthwaite remaining an Everton player by the September deadline are increasing all the time.
And, make no mistake, Jake O’Brien’s £16 million arrival from Olympique Lyonnais is not a sign that Everton are preparing for Branthwaite’s departure.
O’Brien is, after all, a right-footed centre-half. As such, it is far more likely that Everton see him as a replacement for James Tarkowski rather than the left-sided Branthwaite, the Republic of Ireland intenrational likely to line up alongside the latter as part of a new and extremely exciting Toffees backline.
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Everton sign Jake O’Brien from French giants Lyon
For Keith Treacy, who played under Sean Dyche at Burnley, the Goodison boss may be the ideal coach for 23-year-old O’Brien.
Dyche, after all, helped turn Branthwaite, Tarkowski and Ben Mee into established Premier League stoppers.
“He is very good at motivating you, wanting to do things,” Treacy tells the RTE Soccer Podcast. “He walks into a room and he commands your respect. He commands your attention.
“I think (Dyche and O’Brien) is a match made in heaven, I really do.”
O’Brien’s size is the thing that immediately catches the eye. A colossal presence in both boxes, the former Crystal Palace youngster scored five times for Lyon in 2023/24, one of those coming against Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France final.
Treacy, however, insists that there is more to O’Brien’s game than headers and clearances. The County Cork-born youngster shares Branthwaite’s ability to play out from the back and fizz piercing passes into midfield.
“People are probably expecting me to say; ‘Jake is 6ft 6ins, aerial duels, he’ll battle with people, physical’,” adds Treacy, formerly of Blackburn, Sheffield United and Preston North End.
“He can do all of that. He’ll tick that box for Sean Dyche because Sean Dyche does want that. But he can pass the ball as well. He’s not a bad footballer.
“I was really impressed with him the two games I saw him play for Ireland (against Hungary and Portugal). The distribution into the midfield I thought was brilliant.
“He’s 23 years of age. I do think it’s a match made in heaven. I think Sean Dyche will get the absolute best out of him.”
Former Crystal Palace youngster is a ‘future captain’
O’Brien’s new Everton team-mate – the vastly experienced Seamus Coleman – currently wears the captain’s armband for the Republic of Ireland national team.
But Treacy believes that, if he can continue developing at his current pace, the armband could soon be passed like a baton to Coleman’s young compatriot.
“I don’t like doing this to players but, at 23 and given the rise he’s had and having spoken to him personally, I think he’s a future Irish captain,” the 35-year-old argues.
“That’s not me kicking Seamus Copleman down the road. Keep him around for as long as possible, his performances have proven he should stay around for a little bit longer.
“But I think Jake is a ready-made captain. His aura, the way he goes about it. Nothing seems to faze him. I think he’s a future Ireland captain and I think he’s our number one centre-half now.”
The post 'Future captain': Everton told they've landed a £16m star with 'brilliant' talent appeared first on HITC.
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