“Strong Interest” – Dharmesh Sheth Delivers “Interesting” West Ham Transfer Update Live on Sky Sports
According to Dharmesh Sheth, Jake O’Brien is of "strong interest" to West Ham and is expected to be a more affordable option than Jean-Clair Todibo.
Speaking live on Sky Sports News on 5 July, journalist Dharmesh Sheth provided a transfer update following the confirmed arrival of Wolves captain Max Kilman for £40 million. He suggested that Lyon’s Jake O’Brien and Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo were strong candidates to join West Ham at the London Stadium.
The Hammers had already seen a bid worth €30 million (£25.4 million) for Todibo rejected, according to The Athletic on 3 July. Meanwhile, Sky Sports reported on 6 July that talks had been held for O’Brien.
Sheth said, “An interesting one is that they’ve got a strong interest in the Lyon central defender Jake O’Brien, Republic of Ireland international as well, probably won’t cost as much as Todibo. Those two names are definitely ones to watch.”
Julen Lopetegui will undoubtedly be pleased to have secured his former Wolves player and top center-back target but is likely to seek an additional defender, depending on potential departures.
However, with significant work still required in the transfer market—multiple strikers, additional attacking depth, new full-backs, and a new central midfielder—the costs could add up.
Todibo may not be overly expensive, but the opportunity to acquire another central defender at a lower price in O’Brien explains the strong interest in him.
Tim Steidten has publicly stated that there is money to spend and that the summer will be a busy one, according to the Daily Mail on 1 July. This suggests confidence that several further signings will be made.
Despite the available funds, there will still be budget constraints. If O’Brien is seen to possess the necessary qualities and comes at a lower cost than a more prominent name, making him a priority is a logical move.
