City Group interested in signing Jake O'Brien from Crystal Palace

While Jake O’Brien has only 12 months left on his Palace contract, the City conglomerate are prepared to offer a long-term deal and place him with Troyes, just relegated from Ligue One.

CITY GROUP: City Group, the multi-club mothership of Manchester City, have lodged serious interest in tempting Cork-born defender Jake O’Brien from Crystal Palace. Pic:Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

City Group, the multi-club mothership of Manchester City, have lodged serious interest in tempting Cork-born defender Jake O’Brien from Crystal Palace.

The centre-back, who recently turned 22 is due to back at Palace after guiding his on-loan outfit RWD Molenbeek into the Belgium top-flight, but he could instead be moving to France.

While O’Brien has only 12 months left on his Palace contract, the City conglomerate are prepared to offer a long-term deal and place him with Troyes, just relegated from Ligue One.

The Saudi group have a raft of clubs within their stable, including Girona in Spain and Italian outfit Palermo and further afield with New York City and Melbourne City.

Youghal native O’Brien was recruited by Palace in 2020 after he’d just broken into Cork City team and they first sent him on loan to Swindon Town. The Belgium club, also backed by American billionaire John Textor, was an ideal next destination and he clocked up 30 appearances and scored three times as they emerged victorious through the playoffs.

He also boosted his profile on the international stage, breaking into and keeping his spot in the Ireland U21 squad that last year were denied an unprecedented European Championship qualification by a penalty shootout. The tall Leesider started both of the playoff legs against Israel.

City trawl deep to target unpolished gems and they will test Palace’s resolve with a six-figure transfer fee. The Eagles stood firm on deadline day in January when English Championship club Bristol City intensified their interest.

Dubliner Paddy McCarthy, promoted from U23 to caretaker boss between the Patrick Vieira and Roy Hodgson era last season, is an admirer of O’Brien but the uncertainty over the identity of the next manager has created a degree of limbo for players with options elsewhere.