Everton complete O'Brien signing from Lyon

By Sports Desk July 30, 2024

Jake O'Brien has become Everton's fifth signing of the transfer window after his reported £16.43million switch from Lyon was confirmed on Tuesday. 

O'Brien, who made 27 Ligue 1 appearances last season, has penned a four-year contract at Goodison Park ahead of the new Premier League campaign. 

The Republic of Ireland international scored five goals in all competitions last term, including in Lyon's Coupe de France final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in May. 

The 23-year-old defender kept seven clean sheets from his league outings last season, and will provide another solid defensive option for the Toffees next season. 

O'Brien won 44 of his 69 contested aerial duels for Lyon, a total only bettered by his central defensive partner Duje Caleta-Car (57). 

"I’m buzzing and so happy to have signed for Everton," O’Brien said.

"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."

Related items

  • Burnley 'emotionally struggled' in Millwall defeat, concedes Parker Burnley 'emotionally struggled' in Millwall defeat, concedes Parker

    Scott Parker said his young Burnley side "struggled emotionally" in their 1-0 defeat to Millwall, a loss that snapped their nine-game winning run in the Championship.

    The decisive moment came in the 52nd minute when Millwall captain Jake Cooper powerfully headed Femi Azeez's cross beyond the grasp of James Trafford. 

    But the Lions, who moved up to seventh in the table with the win, were worthy winners at The Den. 

    They registered 12 shots compared to Burnley's eight, ending with an expected goals (xG) total of 0.83 compared to their opponents' 0.17. 

    Parker's side managed just one effort on target, which came in the fourth minute courtesy of Luca Koleosho, with the Clarets boss lamenting his side's display in the final third.

    "We came here knowing it's a tough place to come and dominated the first 25 minutes but the game went away from us at the back end of that first-half," Parker said. 

    "Emotionally, with a young team like ours we struggled in the big moments.

    "We need to be more progressive in the front third but it's a really young team, a brand new team and we need to keep working hard.

    "We lacked spark in the second-half and the game has been decided on a set play."

    But for Millwall boss Neil Harris, he masterminded the Lions' first league triumph over Burnley since a 3-1 victory back in February 2012. 

    It was also a third consecutive 1-0 win for Millwall. Since the start of last season, they’ve won 13 Championship games by that scoreline, at least five more than any other side.

    And Harris believes his side warranted their victory, insisting that his tactical decisions made the Clarets run out of ideas. 

    "It was a strong result and I thought Burnley ran out of ideas," Harris said. 

    "We grew into the game after Burnley were slightly better in the first 20 minutes, but I couldn't see them scoring against us.

    "You just need a moment here at The Den and Jake Cooper produces it and, if anything, I thought we'd get the second goal.

    "If we win games 1-0 it's fine and the first goal in the Championship is so important, especially for us."

  • Everton 0-5 Chelsea: Visitors maintain perfect WSL start under Bompastor Everton 0-5 Chelsea: Visitors maintain perfect WSL start under Bompastor

    Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the Women's Super League season by thrashing Everton 5-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday.

    They took the lead in the 14th minute when Kadeisha Buchanan's teasing delivery was headed beyond Courtney Brosnan by Agnes Beever-Jones.

    The visitors then struck twice shortly before the break, first through Erin Cuthbert, who dispossessed Veatriki Sarri before sending a left-footed effort into the bottom corner. 

    Guro Reiten then got herself on the scoresheet, squeezing the ball in at Brosnan's front post after being picked out by Sjoeke Nusken's searching ball into the box. 

    Chelsea continued to dominate after the interval, but had to wait until the 82nd minute to notch their fourth through Wieke Kaptein's fine effort into the roof of the net. 

    Just over a minute later, Ashley Lawrence rounded off a fine team move to tap home Oriane Jean-Francois' cross to seal yet another win for Sonia Bompastor's Blues. 

    Data Debrief: Brilliant Blues march on

    The triumph saw manager Bompastor become the third manager to win their first five games in the WSL, after David Parker and Jonas Eidevall. 

    And it was arguably the most dominant win her tenure. The Blues racked up 26 shots compared to Everton's six, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 3.16 compared to their opponents' measly 0.37.

    Chelsea have now equalled their longest winning run in the WSL against a single team, with the victory over the Toffees their 10th in a row, going level with their current win streaks against Tottenham and West Ham. 

  • Van Nistelrooy yet to speak to incoming Amorim about Man Utd future Van Nistelrooy yet to speak to incoming Amorim about Man Utd future

    Ruud van Nistelrooy revealed he has not spoken to incoming Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim after leading the Red Devils to a point against Chelsea on Sunday. 

    Van Nistelrooy, taking interim charge of his first Premier League game, saw Bruno Fernandes open the scoring from the spot in the 70th minute after Robert Sanchez's clumsy challenge on Rasmus Hojlund. 

    But Moises Caicedo's strike four minutes later sealed a share of the spoils at Old Trafford, though the performance left plenty for Amorim to ponder upon his arrival in Manchester.

    Van Nistelrooy will oversee United's next two games against PAOK in the Europa League and Leicester City before Amorim takes the reins on November 11. 

    The Dutchman joined previous manager Erik ten Hag's coaching staff in July, but it remains to be seen whether he will remain at Old Trafford once Amorim arrives. 

    "Over the coming days we will be in communication, and I am waiting for that," Van Nistelrooy said.

    "What is more important is that we are in training tomorrow and prepare for the game on Thursday. I haven’t spoken to him [Amorim] yet, but it will happen.

    “You saw today that we competed well against a very good side. This is the way forward for this group of players."

    The result, however, moved United on to 12 points, but marked their worst return after 10 games of a league campaign since 1986-87 (eight).

    Meanwhile, the Red Devils' total of nine goals is their fewest at this stage of a league campaign since 1973-74 (also nine), though Van Nistelrooy was happy with the display. 

    “I am disappointed we didn’t win, we had the better of the chances in the game. But overall the performance was fantastic. They left their all out there on the pitch," he added. 

    “It was a great moment, the goal, when Old Trafford explodes. Bruno Fernandes did well taking it and the emotion came out.

    "This week has been special, I have enjoyed every second of it. I am here to help and will get behind the new manager and make sure the club grows.

    “We are behind the new manager, everyone at the new club is focusing on the two games that are very important, but then we will work hard to make this club better every day."

    Fernandes echoed the thoughts of his manager, but said the result was one that frustrated his team-mates at full-time. 

    “We did fight, we could have won the game. Chelsea also played a good game, it was good from both teams but not the result we wanted," Fernandes said. 

    "I always look at the goalkeeper before facing them. He [Robert Sanchez] saved a penalty from me last season, but I was successful.

    "Every week here is challenging, if we win or lose."

    Fernandes has now scored 32 of his 36 penalties for United (89%), with his three penalty goals against Chelsea being his joint-most against any opponent (also three v Aston Villa).

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.