Portsmouth and Wycombe battling Bristol City for towering Crystal Palace defender | OneFootball

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Football League World

·30 January 2023

Portsmouth and Wycombe battling Bristol City for towering Crystal Palace defender

Article image:Portsmouth and Wycombe battling Bristol City for towering Crystal Palace defender

Two League One clubs have joined the race for Crystal Palace centre-back Jake O’Brien, with both Portsmouth and Wycombe Wanderers keen to strike a deal before the transfer window shuts.

That is according to the Irish Examiner, who claim that the Republic of Ireland under-21 international is wanted back in England following his performances in the second tier of Belgian football with Molenbeek, where he is currently on loan from Selhurst Park.


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Earlier on Monday, it was claimed by Alan Nixon that Championship side Bristol City were making a play for the 21-year-old, who has been a regular by playing 18 times in the Belgian First Division B, scoring twice.

That move came about after O’Brien spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan in League Two with Swindon Town, but he has developed enough now for clubs in the second and third tier to take notice.

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Article image:Portsmouth and Wycombe battling Bristol City for towering Crystal Palace defender

ADAM WEBSTER

NEWCASTLE BRIGHTON

The Robins are open to either a loan or permanent move for O’Brien, who hasn’t been recalled from mainland Europe but Palace could choose to do so if they prefer him to play in the EFL for the rest of the season.

City face a battle from clubs a league below them in the pyramid though with both John Mousinho and Gareth Ainsworth looking into the possibility of signing the 6 ft 5 in defender.

The Verdict

O’Brien has been honing his craft away from England and seems to be doing just fine in Belgium, but Palace will no doubt be keen to see what level in the EFL he is up to.

The Irishman already has experience at League Two level, but the jump to the Championship could potentially be a big one in the space of just a year – Nigel Pearson has clearly seen something he likes though.

Game-time though will be the most important factor as to whether Palace break off O’Brien’s current arrangement and send him elsewhere, but there’s reasons to let him move to any of the interested English clubs.

It could be an interesting battle in the final day of the transfer window for his services, but if he is recalled from Belgium then lets hope that Palace don’t regret the decision.

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