Liverpool starlet Ovie Ejaria has become Steven Gerrard’s fourth signing at Rangers, having joined the Scottish giants on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old is a promising prospect and it’ll be interesting to see how he’ll fit in the Gers lineup.
Ejaria has played 8 games for Liverpool in the 2016/17 campaign and is also a U20 player for England. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Sunderland, wherein he took part in 11 games and scored his first goal in a 3-0 win over Wolves.
Ultimately, the Black Cats were relegated to the League One but Ejaria’s performances were quite promising.
While his natural position lies in the central midfield area, Ejaria can also play behind the striker. It remains to be seen what Gerrard’s preferred formation will be at Rangers. But if he were to choose a 4-2-3-1, Ejaria could either play as a holding midfielder or somewhere up front.
Blessed with excellent pace and creativity, the youngster might thrive in an attacking role. However, Ejaria has usually occupied the role of a defensive midfielder during his stints with the England U20 side.
Regardless, the Liverpool player will face serious competition for a starting place at Rangers. Graham Dorrans and Ryan Jack were both solid last season, meaning they are likely to start ahead of Ejaria for the time being.
Meanwhile, Rossiter has been unlucky with injuries lately but if he manages to stay fit, he could also push for a starting spot.
Furthermore, the likes of Jason Holt, Harry Forrester and Andy Halliday are powerful enough to play a major role for Rangers in the upcoming season.
Hence, it’s certainly not going to be easy for Ejaria to become a first-team regular. Clearly, the competition for a starting spot at Rangers in fierce. That said, he has the qualities required to work wonders and to reach his true potential, the youngster must show patience, work hard, and keep learning from the best.