Hull City are reportedly setting their sights on acquiring Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien, with Alan Nixon reporting The Tigers have opened negotiations at a club level with a bid in the area of £5 million.
Following numerous loans away over the last few years, O’Brien could well make the switch to the MKM Stadium as he looks to secure a permanent move and more playing time, something which Hull can definitely bring to the table for the 26-year-old midfielder.
What Can O’Brien Bring to Hull City?
Hull arguably seem desperate to add further quality into the middle of their park, with Matazo out until November through injury, leaving just Regan Slater and Steven Alzate as their only out-and-out defensive midfielders with enough experience and quality.
Adding O’Brien into their ranks may provide competition for Slater and Alzate, and certainly that extra quality The Tigers need to better themselves after a low finish last season.
O’Brien enjoyed two successful loan spells at LAFC and Swansea respectively over 24/25, and across those two spells he collected an impressive average of successful passes, which comes in at 82.45% through the use of FotMob data. The 26-year-old seems to have an impressive defensive record, too, securing a tackle success rate of 76.4% with Swansea alone, putting him amongst the best defensive midfielders in the EFL Championship.
The Nottingham Forest man also brings along an impressive track record in the EFL Championship, as he’s appeared over 140 times with Huddersfield and Swansea, returning with consistently quality performances in the heart of the midfield, delivering whenever called upon to be a pivotal part in the engine room.
Is Hull City The Right Move?
As the 26-year-old edges closer to the prime period of his career, a permanent home and regular minutes with The Tigers seems to be the perfect opportunity for him to settle down and really kick on over the next few years.
O’Brien’s arrival at The MKM Stadium could be the first of multiple statement signings needed for Hull, and it would be a really smart piece of business for them also, as The Tigers endured a painful campaign last season after previously challenging for the Play-Offs.
What do you think on O’Brien’s potential switch to Hull City? Let us know in the comments below!