West Bromwich Albion are reportedly interested in signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien this month and the 24-year-old could be a big upgrade on Jayson Molumby in Carlos Corberan’s side.
According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, the Baggies are keen on signing the English midfielder this month, as he continues to struggle for game time with Steve Cooper’s side in the top flight, with just six league starts under his belt following his summer switch from Huddersfield Town.
During his time with the Terriers, O’Brien would go on to make 131 appearances for the Championship side, contributing eight goals and 10 assists.
He would establish himself as the captain at the John Smith’s Stadium under Corberan and played a vital role in their unexpected run to the playoff final last season, registering three goals and three assists in 46 appearances, averaging a strong 7.09 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
It is easy to see why the Baggies have been linked with bringing O’Brien back to the Championship, as Corberan waxed lyrical about the young midfielder last season.
He said:
“O’Brien is one player who will never limit himself because he is motivated to compete in every single space, in every single moment, in every single minute of the season.
“He does it all with a level of humility that means he is going to be an exceptional player and he is never going to stop growing.”
O’Brien’s last league start for Forest came in November and it seems clear that he is not a crucial part of Cooper’s plans at the City Ground, so perhaps Corberan could seal a reunion before the transfer deadline next week.
If he were to arrive at the Hawthorns, he could be a big upgrade on Molumby, who has struggled for consistent form despite being a regular under Corberan in the recent upturn in form.
The former Brighton man has averaged a disappointing 6.44 rating from WhoScored for his performances this season, with just one goal and two assists to his name.
If we compare his stats to O’Brien’s from last season, the Irishman is outperformed in terms of tackles (1.2 vs 2.1), key passes (0.4 vs one) and dribbles (0.2 vs 2.1) per game, which suggests that the Forest man could be a far better option under his former manager with the Baggies.
Therefore, West Brom should definitely try and do a deal for O’Brien before the window shuts, as he could play a big role in helping them achieve their promotion aspirations in the second half of the campaign.
