O'Brien and Browne the Irish in demand

HOT PROPERTY: Lyon's Irish defender Jake O'Brien (C) celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Olympique Lyonnais. Pic: FRANCOIS LO PRESTI, AFP

Jake O’Brien and Alan Browne are both in demand as the mid-season transfer windows enters their final 24 hours.

Lyon rejected bids from both Everton and Atalanta for €15m-rated O’Brien while it’s understood another Serie A side Salernitana have also seen an offer for his fellow Corkman, Preston captain Browne, turned down.

Both players are at different stages of their careers.

Youghal native O’Brien (22) was snapped up by the French side in the summer on a long-term deal from Crystal Palace, a club also owned by John Textor. City Group, the Saudi-based umbrella entity over Manchester City, had seen their €1.35m bid knocked back.

Despite a testing first season in Ligue 1 – both Laurent Blanc and Fabio Grosso were sacked when failing to ease the threat of relegation – O’Brien has been something of a sensation at the club. He’s scored three times in his 13 appearances, cementing his status as a mainstay of the team.

A string of three wins was followed by two recent defeats, keeping them 16th of 18 teams in the French top-flight. They have been busy reinforcing their squad in this window, agreeing a deal with West Ham United to loan Said Benrahma with a £15m obligation to buy in the summer. The French deadline is Wednesday night.

Browne, meanwhile, is out of contract at Preston in the summer and currently out of favour.

Saturday’s Championship meeting with Millwall marked the midfielder’s 400th appearance since he moved from Cork City a decade ago but the fact it was a cameo off the bench raised questions about his place in the plans of manager Ryan Lowe.

His insensitive reaction afterwards - "It's a squad game, not just about Alan Browne, is it?” – indicated all wasn’t rosy and suitors have reacted.

This window is Preston’s last chance to sell Browne if he doesn’t agree an extension before he becomes a free agent in May but Salernitana’s six-figure bid was believed to be derisory.

Browne – now the 13th highest appearance holder in the club’s history – has expressed his desire to finish his career as a one-club man but clearly doubts have emerged in recent weeks as he’s been dropped for the last two matches.

Salernitana are anchored to the bottom of the Italian league and in real danger of relegation but should his employers be tempted by an improved bid Browne may fancy a crack at operating on the continent, albeit later in his career path than O’Brien.

For now, though, Preston are content to keep their man but other clubs in the UK – Celtic believed to be one – could choose to test their resolve ahead of the window closing on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, it’s also a busy time for Ireland’s women’s internationals. Abbie Larkin has followed her former Shelbourne teammate Izzy Atkinson to Crystal Palace, cutting short her stint with Glasgow City.

The transfer of Tara O’Hanlon from Irish champions Peamount United to Manchester City on a three-and-a-half-year deal, as reported by the Irish Examiner on Monday, should be wrapped up in time to register the paperwork with the WSL.