Ovie Ejaria eyes career revival as Real Oviedo seal deal with ex-Liverpool midfielder

By Dayo Awoniyi 

Ovie Ejaria, the former Liverpool and England youth international, has completed a two-year move to Real Oviedo, newly promoted to La Liga, in a bid to revive his career.

The 27-year-old, who was born in England to Nigerian parents, sealed the deal on Wednesday as he looks to kickstart a fresh chapter in Spain’s top division.

Ejaria’s promising youth career saw him spend nine years at Arsenal before making the switch to Liverpool at the age of 16 in 2014, where he signed his first professional contract two years later.

Ejaria’s standout youth achievements include being part of the England U20 team that triumphed at the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea. He went on to feature for the England U21s in 2018.

However, his career at senior level has seen him take several stints with clubs including Sunderland, Rangers, and Reading, where he made over 124 appearances and scored in double figures.

At his unveiling by Real Oviedo, Ejaria expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, acknowledging the significance of the move. “I’m thankful to God for this chance. I’ll work hard to revive my career here in La Liga, and I’m excited for what lies ahead,” Ejaria said.

The Nigerian-born midfielder, who switched his international allegiance to Nigeria’s Super Eagles in 2020, will link up with Santi Cazorla, the former Arsenal star, who also plays for Real Oviedo.

With the club marking their return to La Liga after a 24-year absence, Ejaria’s arrival is expected to bolster their squad as they seek to establish themselves in Spain’s top flight. Their La Liga campaign kicks off with an away fixture against Villarreal on Friday.

As Ejaria embarks on this new journey, all eyes will be on how he performs in Spain, with hopes that his move can reignite his career and eventually bring him back into the fold for Nigeria‘s national team.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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