Lewis O’Brien, a former loanee from Middlesbrough, is reportedly drawing a lot of Championship attention after an outstanding stint on loan in Los Angeles after leaving Boro.
O’Brien played on loan at the Riverside last season, but his overall effect on Teesside was limited due to a major injury he sustained early in the year. Boro finally made the decision to look at other midfield possibilities because of his Nottingham Forest salary, which was a particular problem. Aidan Morris joined from Columbus Crew in the summer.
O’Brien, on the other hand, who has a contract with Forest through July 2026, made the other move and moved to the MLS, where he has shown promise. He has made 15 appearances and established himself as a vital member of LA’s squad, which won the Western Conference and advanced to the MLS Playoffs.
The 26-year-old’s play is drawing a lot of interest back in England ahead of the January transfer window, according a recent TEAMtalk article. There have been reports of interest from Leeds United, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Stoke City, and Hull City.
A purchase option for the MLS side was part of the loan agreement that LA and Forest negotiated this summer. The loan is scheduled to expire in December, following the conclusion of the MLS campaign. O’Brien would still need to approve the relocation, though, as is the case with all such arrangements. Furthermore, it’s very likely that he may consider returning to England to be nearer to his family if any of the rumors of interest in doing so come to pass.
After leading Huddersfield Town to the play-off final three years ago, O’Brien made a name for himself as one of the best midfielders in the Championship. After they won the Wembley final and were promoted to the Premier League, they moved to Forest. However, O’Brien rapidly fell in the hierarchy during a summer shopping binge at the City Ground.
Prior to his Boro stint, he had a loan at DC United. He missed over four months of the season before returning after suffering a knee injury that necessitated surgery after only six games. Despite finishing the season in strong form—Boro lost only one of their final 13 games—he was ultimately unable to have as much of an influence on Teesside as he would have anticipated.
