Lewis O’Brien has emerged as one of Hull City‘s top transfer targets this summer, with the Championship club keen to strike a deal with Nottingham Forest for the out-of-favour star.
O’Brien has been on City’s radar for some time, but the Tigers believe they have a good chance of getting a deal done this time around despite interest from other second-tier rivals.
Since arriving at Forest from Huddersfield Town following their play-off final win over the Terriers in May 2022, O’Brien has struggled for minutes, and has had loan spells in the MLS, as well as Middlesbrough and then Swansea City in the Championship.
It was in early February when the 26-year-old arrived in South Wales at Swansea and gave an insight into what the Jack Army could expect from him.
O’Brien talks about the need for aggression, energy, intensity, composure and the ability to be a good communicator. All those attributes are exactly what City need next term, and having a player like the Colchester-born performer will go a long way to giving Jakirovic the control in games he wants his sides to have.
“It was a chance for me to come back to the Championship. I spoke with the gaffer (Luke Williams at the time), and he outlined the way the team plays, and also spoke about wanting a player who is ready to fight,” the midfielder said following his move from the East Midlands to South Wales.
“I have played in a number of different competitions and leagues, and I feel I have taken a bit from all those experiences. I hope the fans will be able to see that when I start playing. It’s a tough league, so you need that fight and aggression to be able to compete
“I feel like my energy levels are a big part of my game. I can play 90 minutes at the same level of intensity, and I think that helps, especially in the latter stages of games. I also think I bring composure on the ball; my ability to read the play in defensive moments can be a good attribute to have, too.
“I enjoy the responsibility of being vocal and communicating on the pitch. That’s how I play my game. The more I can talk and the more I can help other players, the better I play myself. I think that is important in helping the team play better.”
It remains to be seen whether or not City can get a deal over the line, and it will require a big push, both from Jakirovic to convince him why the MKM Stadium is the right move for him, and financially from Acun Ilicali, but there’s little doubt about the quality of player they would be getting.
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