Jake O'Brien 15

Everton made Jake O'Brien their fourth signing of the 2024 close season, picking the centre-half up from Olympique Lyonnais in a £17m deal in late July following the acquisitions of Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom on loan and Tim Iroegbunam and Iliman Ndiaye for a combined £24m.

The tall Irish centre-half had been linked with the Blues for much of the summer as speculation swirled around the future of Jarrad Branthwaite but Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, pushed through with the transfer even though the young England star looked likely to remain at Goodison Park.

O'Brien was faced with the task of breaking up the solid partnership established by Branthwaite and James Tarkowksi, something that was regarded as a potential impediment to any move for him given that he was a regular starter for Lyon.

However, Everton skipper Seamus Coleman is said to have played a big role in selling the Club to his compatriot. 

O'Brien began his career at Cork City in his native Ireland before being picked up by Crystal Palace after impressing on what was initially a loan move to the Eagles' development team.

He had additional loan spells at Swindon Town and Molenbeek in Belgium before signing for Lyon for just €1m last year where he has excelled and become a target for a handful of Premier League clubs, including Brentford, Wolves and Everton while Ajax Amsterdam had been heavily linked this month.

Last season, the 6'-6" defender helped the Ligue 1 side propel themselves from relegation danger and up to a 6th-place finish, emerging as the team's second-top scorer in the process.

FactFile