Former Liverpool midfielder Ovie Ejaria, who made eight appearances for the club under Jurgen Klopp, has turned to LinkedIn in his search for a new club. The 28-year-old has been without a team since his release from Real Oviedo and is now using the professional networking site to find a way back into football.
Career at Liverpool and beyond
Ejaria, who was handed his debut by Klopp in 2016 just weeks before turning 19, made eight appearances for the Reds. Two of those came in the Premier League, while he featured three times in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. He also had loan spells with Sunderland, Rangers and Reading before making a permanent move to the Royals in 2020.
During his time at Reading, Ejaria clocked up 127 appearances, but his six-year stint was disrupted by knee problems. After being released by Oviedo, he has remained out of the game. Almost exactly 10 years after his top-flight bow in Liverpool's 6-1 win over Watford, he has resorted to fresh tactics to secure a return.
LinkedIn appeal and Klopp's praise
In his LinkedIn post, Ejaria wrote: "I'm currently a free agent and looking for the right opportunity. I'm keeping the details brief for now, but if there's an opportunity or you know of a club looking for midfielder -- (6, 8 and 10) or someone who can play as a left winger, please feel free to DM me."
Ejaria arrived at Liverpool from Arsenal in 2014 and was training with Klopp's first team by September 2016. Klopp once cited Ejaria as a role model for youngsters stepping up to the senior squad during training camps, saying: "I told the boys before the session [on Tuesday] that last year, Ovie Ejaria came onto my plate, if you want. I saw him here first. I knew him, I saw him playing a few times, but here having him around for four days and seeing him in small spaces in the sessions against the 'adults', if you want, was very important for him and for me."
Gerrard's view and current status
Steven Gerrard, who secured Ejaria on loan while managing Rangers, also praised the midfielder's technical ability. Despite spending only half a season at Ibrox, Gerrard said: "I have always said to Ovie that nobody will ever judge you in terms of technical ability because you have got more technical ability than anyone, than I ever had."
Ejaria now boasts 216 career appearances and is seeking a new opportunity to continue his playing career.
