Everton won’t entertain offers for defender Jake O’Brien in the January transfer window.
Clubs from across Europe’s top leagues are interested in taking the Republic of Ireland international on loan.
O’Brien, 23, has played just 34 minutes of Premier League football this season after a £15m summer move from Lyon. That came in two appearances in the league while he started both Carabao Cup games for the Toffees before they were knocked out of the competition.
Boss Sean Dyche is clearly not a huge fan of the defender with James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite and Michael Keane ahead of him in the pecking order. That has brought about interest from teams in the Bundesliga and Serie A as well as the Premier League.
There have been no offers but definite interest in a loan move. But Everton will not allow O’Brien to leave because they believe they will be short of cover at centre back.
Branthwaite missed a chunk of games at the start of the season after groin surgery in the summer. But Keane was favoured by Dyche over O’Brien, who opted to return to play in England but has not enjoyed his return so far.
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