This time last year, were for the defender, but he instead moved to French outfit Lyon, where he excelled.
That caught the attention of the Toffees, prompting them to splash the cash to acquire his services.
It seems there could have been benefits on multiple fronts for the Robins if they had concluded the deal. Watching others win out in a move they came close to being involved with will likely burn for some time.
The 23-year-old had spent time in Crystal Palace’s youth system but was coming towards the end of his contract there and needed regular game time.
Successful loan spells in League Two with and with Belgian side RWD Molenbeek put the Ireland international in the shop window, and the Robins were
– O’Brien would cross the channel and link up with the Ligue 1 side
Just 12 months later, with the defender would be journeying back to England to link up
Having proven up to the task in France’s top tier, and also chipping in with in all competitions, there is little doubt O’Brien would have taken the Championship by storm.
The Robins were already relatively strong at the back, including play-off contenders Having introduced someone of O’Brien’s quality to the side, could they have prevented even more goals and picked up more points with his contributions at the other end? City fans will likely spend some time wondering.
The side were not a million miles from becoming play-off contenders, despite their 11th-placed finish. A sprinkle more quality across the squad, with players like O’Brien, may have been enough to seal the deal.
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