Leeds United should grasp second Ovie Ejaria chance with Liverpool eyeing another loan

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Liverpool had agreed to send Ovie Ejaria to Leeds United in January only for an injury to scupper the move.

Leeds United’s overreliance on the creative skills of Pablo Hernandez eventually bit them on the backside in the last few months of the 2016/17 season.

Perhaps to be expected of a 32-year-old playing almost every game in relentless Championship campaign, the Spaniard’s form dipped dramatically during a spring-time collapse in which Leeds won just one of eight games.

Though if injury had not curtailed Ovie Ejaria’s January loan move from Liverpool to Elland Road, perhaps Leeds would not have missed out on the play-offs in such heart-breaking fashion.

All Nigeria Soccer reported in the winter that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had agreed to lend the 19-year-old to the Championship side for the rest of the 2016/17 season, only for Leeds to pull out of a deal after Ejaria suffered ligament damage on the eve of the transfer.

A young midfielder renowned for his eye for a pass and dextrous dribbling ability, Ejaria would have come in useful in a Leeds side lacking incision and inspiration in the final third.

And although The Whites have at least taken the pressure off Hernandez with the signing of Samu Saiz from Huesca, suggestions that Liverpool will let Ejaria leave on loan again one year on should not pass them by.

“The management and first-team staff know Ovie has got a lot of potential and that’s why he has played for the first team and he’s been in and around it,” Liverpool Under-23 boss Neil Critchley todl the club’s official website.

“We want him to get there on a permanent basis. It might take him a little bit of time and his pathway might be he goes on loan at some point as well to gain some experience.

“Maybe then he will be a bit more streetwise, a bit tougher and he’s ready to take that opportunity. We are just trying to provide a platform for Ovie and challenge him to produce more, because there’s no doubting the boy’s ability.”

Prior to Saturday’s 3-0 win at Bristol City, Leeds had looked a little leggy and predictable during a run of three straight defeats. The Whites, then, should attempt to finally bring Ejaria to Elland Road in January to ensure a repeat collapse does not occur.