Middlesbrough have completed the loan signing of Leeds United target Lewis O’Brien from Nottingham Forest until the end of the current term, confirming the news on their official Twitter on Thursday.
O’Brien, 24, joins Boro after a tricky 12 months at Forest. Having starred at Huddersfield and getting The Terriers to the 2021-22 play-off final, his side lost to Forest. Ironically, he then move to the City Ground.
But Forest signed a huge amount of players that season. Impressing in the first half of the campaign, more signings meant O’Brien was forced out of Steve Cooper’s squad and he went on loan to DC United.
Playing under Wayne Rooney and alongside Mateusz Klich, he impressed again and now back at Forest – he needed a move. Alan Nixon said on his Patreon channel that O’Brien was a £10m target for Leeds.
Middlesbrough have announced that O’Brien has moved to The Riverside, with Michael Carrick winning the race for the midfielder. It sees Leeds miss out on O’Brien, but Greenwood will team up with him.
Middlesbrough complete loan signing of Leeds target O’Brien
With Leeds needing a midfielder, you would have imagined that a move for O’Brien would have made sense. Especially, with the midfielder being regularly linked to Leeds during Marcelo Bielsa’s reign.
However, O’Brien joining Boro would also suggest that Leeds are pursuing other targets. Ao Tanaka, Kenny McLean, Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara are all options. You would expect an announcement soon.
But what it will see, is O’Brien team up with Greenwood. Phil Hay reports that Greenwood is set to join Boro on loan – and that Cody Drameh, Leo Hjelde and Darko Gyabi could follow Greenwood in leaving.
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