But with days remaining in the transfer window, interest has intensified, with teams circling.

It was reported last week by journalist Alan Nixon, that Leeds have identified O’Brien as a target and are ready to move for him.

Leeds joined Sheffield United in showing interest in the player, but it now seems that both Yorkshire sides face stiff competition from other Championship outfits.

According to Alan Nixon, via his Patreon account, Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Ipswich Town have joined the race for the 24-year-old.

Nixon states that all of these clubs have made enquiries regarding a loan deal for O’Brien, but he adds that Nottingham Forest want either a permanent sale this summer or the obligation to buy at the end of any loan deal they may entertain.

It was recently reported by The Sun, that Forest are keen to recoup the £10 million they spent on O’Brien when they signed him from Nottingham Forest. However, this could be a problem for interested clubs, as Nixon reported that Boro, Coventry and Ipswich are all interested in loan deals, while Leeds are also said to be interested in just a loan.

But with a deal still not being ruled out, a move to Ipswich Town seems to be the perfect opportunity for O’Brien in these remaining days.

O’Brien is only 24 and still has a big future ahead of him, but for whatever reason, it hasn’t worked out at Nottingham Forest and doesn’t seem like it is going to.

The midfielder needs to move on from the club in this transfer window, as he won’t want another six months to go by without him playing regular football.

It is no surprise that O’Brien has plenty of options, as he’s been an excellent player at this level for a number of years now and would be a very useful player to have for any side looking for promotion.

Therefore, a potential move to Ipswich would surely represent the best opportunity for the player to play and compete at the top end of the Championship. Ipswich have shown they have all the attributes to be promotion contenders, and under the management of Kieran McKenna, you would expect a player like O’Brien to succeed and improve his game more.

Ipswich would be adding a player who is fully accomplished in the Championship and would no doubt upgrade their midfield.

O’Brien’s best season came in the 2021/22 campaign with Huddersfield Town, as his all-round performances made him crucial for the Terriers.

He scored three goals and registered three assists, but there were other aspects of his game that makes him a standout performer. He also averaged 37.6 passes per game, with a success rate of 78.3% and a key pass ever game, as per WhoScored.com.

The midfielder also averaged 1.1 shots per game, and another asset them makes him a perfect fit for McKenna’s style is that he likes to carry the ball, something he did 2.1 times per game in this season. The 2021/22 season was O’Brien’s best to date as he picked up a WhoScored.com match rating of 7.09.

O’Brien has all the attributes to succeed in this Ipswich team, as he is different from what they currently have, and joining the Tractor Boys would mean he would likely play week in, week out, and he’d play for a manager and in a team that would probably suit his game and get the best out of him.

All the options are good for the player, but with the way they play and how they’ve started this season, playing at Portman Road under McKenna is surely an opportunity O’Brien can’t turn down.