Southampton should stay away from Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien after they were linked with a move for the midfielder.
It’s already been a busy summer for the south coast outfit, with Will Still having been named as the new manager as Saints look to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Still arrives with a good pedigree, having impressed in France with Reims and Lens, but he will need backing if he is to implement his ideas at Southampton.
Southampton among clubs keen on Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien
With players expected to leave following relegation, there could be a high turnover of players, and one area that needs addressing is in midfield, with Alan Nixon claiming O’Brien is a target, although many other Championship clubs are in the mix for his signature.
The 26-year-old joined Nottingham Forest in 2022, but he has fallen way down the pecking order at the City Ground, and a permanent summer move is inevitable after O’Brien impressed on loan at Swansea in the second half of last season.
| Lewis O’Brien at Swansea City (via FotMob) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 16 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Dribble success | 60% |
| Tackles won | 77% |
| Duels won | 51% |
However, when quizzed by FLW about the prospect of the ex-Huddersfield man joining the club, FLW’s Southampton fan pundit Martin Sanders explained that they should be aiming for someone who could handle the jump to the top-flight, with doubts over O’Brien’s ability to do that.
“It’s an interesting one. I like him. I’ve seen him play a bit. He has loads of Championship experience, he has been with Forest for three years but has not had any real game time. His loan move to Swansea was good for him, and they were keen to take him permanently.
“I still think we need players who are going to step up and play in the Premier League as well. Is O’Brien going to do that? We did it with Flynn Downes. We brought players in who we thought could step up, and it didn’t work with him.
“I’m not convinced this one will happen, or whether he will be a key target for us right now, but we do need another central midfielder.”
Lewis O’Brien could flourish in the Championship next season
You can understand the point of view, as, in an ideal world, Southampton will buy players this summer who would be part of their long-term project. Obviously, the aim on that front is getting back to the Premier League and establishing the club at that level.
But, the immediate focus has to be on the here and now, and O’Brien could be a very useful asset to Still’s side next season.
So, it would still be a signing that makes sense at the right price, and then it’s down to O’Brien to make himself a key figure for Still with his performances in training and on the pitch.
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