WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 20, 2023) – D.C. United have signed midfielder Lewis O’Brien on loan from English Premier League side Nottingham Forest pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC). O’Brien’s loan will conclude on July 16, 2023 with an option to buy.
“Lewis has been one of the best players in the Championship over the last few seasons,” Wayne Rooney said. “He reads the game well and creates goal scoring opportunities. Bringing him in on loan from Nottingham Forest was a great bit of business for us and he will be a brilliant addition to our midfield.”
O’Brien joins the Black-and-Red after spending the 2022 season with Premier League side Nottingham Forest. The midfielder signed with Nottingham Forest on July 20, 2022 from English Championship side Huddersfield Town. O’Brien made his debut for the club in a 2-0 league loss to Newcastle United on Aug. 6, 2022. He later scored his first goal for the Reds on Sept. 16, 2022 against Fulham FC. In total, O’Brien scored one goal in 17 appearances across all competitions for Forest.
“We were excited about the prospect of Lewis joining us on loan because he has an impressive pedigree in England in both the Championship and EPL,” Dave Kasper, D.C. United President of Soccer Operations, said. “We look forward to getting Lewis in with the group.”
The 24-year old is a product of the Huddersfield Town Academy where he was named the Academy Player of the Year for the 2017-’18 season. He was subsequently loaned to English fourth division side Bradford City on Aug. 31, 2018. The midfielder made his professional debut on Sept. 8, 2018 in a 3-2 loss to Blackpool FC. He later scored his first career goal on Jan. 1, 2019 in a 3-0 Bradford City win over Accrington Stanley. In 46 appearances, O’Brien scored four goals and recorded three assists for Bradford City before returning to Huddersfield Town from his loan. The following season, O’Brien would make his Huddersfield Town debut on Aug. 10, 2019 in a 1-1 draw to Queens Park Rangers. He was named the teams 2019-2020 Player of the Year after finishing second in the league with 121 tackles. The Colchester native was also pivotal in the Terriers’ run in the 2022 English Championship Playoffs, helping them reach the final before losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest. That season, he finished second in the English Championship with 88 successful take ons and third with 95 fouls drawn. O’Brien would score eight goals and record 10 assists in 131 appearances for Huddersfield Town.
Player: Lewis O’Brien
Position: Midfielder
Birthplace: Colchester, England
Country: England
Birthdate: October 14, 1998
Age: 24
Height: 5’8’’
Weight: 163 lbs
Status: International
Transaction: D.C. United Sign Nottingham Forest Midfielder Lewis O’Brien on loan through July 16, 2023 with an option to buy.
