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News
Lewis O’Brien admits summer was ‘a hard time’, amid £13m Leeds offer
on Leeds United’s interest in his services in the summer, after signing a new contract for Huddersfield Town.
O’Brien, 22, was the subject of numerous offers from Leeds. Town chairman Phil Hodgkinson said the biggest from Leeds was £13m ().
Leeds really needed a midfielder. It comes after trying to sign one in the summer of 2020 – missing out on Rodrigo De Paul and Michael Cuisance.
Tyler Roberts and Rodrigo, naturally strikers, have dropped into midfield to cover the lack of options. Stuart Dallas is also operating in the middle.
O’Brien was targeted as a player that could offer depth, but the ex-Bradford loanee has remained at Huddersfield – now signing a new four-year deal.
The midfielder has agreed to stay, with O’Brien previously out of contract next summer. He told Huddersfield’s website about the interest from Leeds.
“Obviously summer was a hard time for everyone with the speculation and news going around. Phil came out in the open a to squash the speculation.
“We went about everything how we were supposed to go about, I never kicked off about anything – it’s just the way football works,”
O’Brien on Leeds: Should Leeds regret failure to sign Town star?
At £13million, Leeds made the right decision not to increase their offer. O’Brien is a talent, without a doubt. He is young and English.
But is he worth £13million? No. He is probably at best, £10million. Certainly, he is not in the top bracket of Championship midfielders.
He will be, and he will play Premier League football at some point. But he needs to keep playing football at Huddersfield before that happens.
A couple more seasons at Huddersfield, and then Leeds would be best-served signing him for a bit more money – say, £15million.
Signing him now and O’Brien warming the bench would end up being a waste of money. More games at Huddersfield is crucial for O’Brien.
