‘Powerful’ Crystal Palace player now ‘set to join’ European club on permanent deal – journalist

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The latest news suggests that Crystal Palace will be selling one of their academy prospects to a Ligue 1 club this summer.

Crystal Palace are trying to integrate more youth into the side, but some are still on the fringes. With them now getting older, it feels like a pivotal summer for some of the academy talents.

One who has never properly broken through is 22 year-old Jake O’Brien. According to LondonNewsOnline journalist Edmund Brack, the defender is on the way out of the club.

The journalist tweeted: “Crystal Palace defender Jake O’Brien set to join Lyon on a permanent deal. Long-term contract. Loan to RWD Molenbeek a possibility but not a certainty.”

Jake O’Brien set to leave Crystal Palace

It does make some sense for the club to sell the defender and for the centre-back to want to leave the club this summer transfer window.

He is now 22 year-old and with Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi the star defenders, there is no chance of him currently getting a start.

Meanwhile, Chris Richards is seen as the first replacement for the pairing. Therefore, O’Brien is quite far down the pecking order.

The “powerful” player now needs to get game time otherwise his growth is going to be stunted. He is also at an age where you do not want to be playing academy football anymore.

If Palace get a decent figure for him then it would be very beneficial and they can hopefully use that to add more depth to their squad.

Hopefully the club do bring some more signings in as they definitely lack some depth at this current time and they do not want to get dragged into a relegation battle.