AMSTERDAM – Free agent midfielder Conor O'Brien (above, right) has joined Danish side FC Nordsjælland on a two-year deal.
The 24-year-old leaves SönderjyskE having notched seven goals and four assists in 50 games across all competitions after arriving in the summer of 2011. The final bidding came down to Odense BK and the defending Superliga champs, who it turns out had been O'Brien's first destination wish all along.
"Conor O'Brien is a very skilful and versatile midfielder who we have followed for some time," Wild Tigers sport director Jan Laursen told the club website following Tuesday afternoon's announcement. "He is a hard-working player who has a good eye for the game.
"He is a player who we feel will fit well into the kind of football we want to play at FC Nordsjælland. He is a very ambitious player, who already is on the periphery of the US national team. He has over two good seasons with Sønderjyske grown to be a standout in the Superliga. With his attitude and desire to do absolutely everything he can to improve, we believe he will develop further in the years to come."
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O'Brien arrives at Farum Park directly after the departure of holding midfielder Enoch Kofi Adu, who was sold to Club Brugge last week. The New York native can also play in a more attacking role, where FCN are missing Saint-Étienne loan item Andreas Laudrup, at least until summer.
Currently on an extended winter break, FC Nordsjælland return to Superliga action with a March 3 visit from AC Horsens. With 10 matches remaining, the champions are three points clear for the league's second Champions League slot, 12 points off the pace of table leaders FC Copenhagen.
FC Nordsjælland are perhaps known in US soccer circles as the former club for defender Michael Parkhurst, who left after four years with the team for German side FC Augsburg in December. New York Red Bulls defender Heath Pearce also played for the Wild Tigers from 2005-07.
