EX-LIVERPOOL WONDERKID WITHOUT CLUB AT 28 AFTER BEING RELEASED BY NON-LEAGUE SIDE

Former Liverpool wonderkid Jordon Ibe has been released by non-league side Ebbsfleet.

The 28-year-old moved to the club back in October but made just one appearance in the National League this season. Ibe came on as a second-half substitute during a goalless draw against Oldham in February.

Having only signed a contract until the end of the current campaign, Ibe is one of eight players who have not been offered a new deal and will depart Ebbsfleet this summer. Ex-Liverpool youngster David Amoo and former Peterborough and Barnet forward Shaq Coulthirst are among the others to leave.

Six players remain under contract, while the Fleet have started talks with 12 stars as they plan for a second straight season in the fifth tier. The Kent outfit secured their place in the National League with a vital final-day draw at Boreham Wood, which kept them up but sent their opponents down.

Ibe started his career at League One outfit Wycombe before signing for the Reds in December 2011. Having initially teamed up with the club's Under 18s, Ibe made his first-team debut on the final day of the 2012/13 season, starting and grabbing an assist during a 1-0 victory over QPR.

After spending time out on loan at Birmingham and Derby, Ibe returned to Liverpool and cemented himself as a regular under Brendan Rodgers and then Jurgen Klopp. Throughout the 2015/16 season, Ibe netted four times and grabbed four assists in 41 games, becoming a regular in the Reds team.

However, in search of even more opportunities, Ibe decided to leave Liverpool and join Bournemouth for a club-record £15million fee. He struggled for form during his maiden campaign on the south coast, finishing the season having failed to score in 26 appearances.

In fact, Ibe did not score his first Cherries goal until January 2018 in a 2-1 victory over Arsenal. He ended that campaign directly contributing to four goals in 38 matches - an improvement on his first season. But that was as good as it got for the winger, who was released at the end of his contract in June 2020.

It didn't take Ibe long to make his return to football, though, as he joined former club Derby on a two-year deal three months later. But he made just one appearance for the Rams and spoke in January 2021 about his battle with depression and struggling with mental health issues.

"I want to apologise to all my fans around the world," Ibe wrote on Instagram at the time. "I find myself in a dark place, due to suffering with depression.

"It's no scheme for the media or to have my name in your mouths, I just find things hard truly. I appreciate all the love and messages from everyone. Times are hard in general due to this pandemic. I have the full support from my family and Derby County football club.

"I will fix myself and this situation, which I'm 100 per cent committed to. Not only for my family, close friends or my beauteous daughter but for me."

After leaving Derby at the end of that season, Ibe was without a club for over six months before returning to join Adanaspor. He didn't make an appearance for the Turkish second-tier side and spent a year out of the game before his move to Ebbsfleet was confirmed earlier this season.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

2024-04-26T18:13:35Z dg43tfdfdgfd