Chidera Ejuke, the nimble Super Eagles winger, made 21 appearances for Hertha Berlin last season but failed to find the back of the net.
In a recent report by Torizone, the 25-year-old expressed his disappointment over a past failed move to Liverpool. Currently on loan with Belgian side Royal Antwerp from his parent club CSKA Moscow, Ejuke has netted three goals in thirteen outings this season.
Ejuke first ventured into Europe at the age of 17, attracting interest from Manchester City, Liverpool, and Norwegian side Vålerenga. He initially arrived in Europe when Vålerenga Fotball signed him in 2017.
Get Instantly Update By: Joining Our Whatapps and Telegram Channel
According to a Sportswitness report citing Het Nieuwsblad, Liverpool invited Ejuke for a week-long trial, but the move did not materialize. Reflecting on the experience, Ejuke admitted feeling disappointed and revealed the initial difficulty in handling the rejection.
“I was allowed to train with the youth team for a week. I started dreaming, I could see myself playing in the first team, but things didn’t go as expected. I wasn’t good enough, it turned out, and I had to start all over again. That was quite difficult because you realize that you don’t get opportunities like that often. I felt like I had disappointed my family,” said Ejuke.
Despite the setback, Ejuke, now well-traveled across Europe, believes the Liverpool failure ultimately contributed to his growth. He expressed, “But okay, that’s life. Get up and get going, for the love of the game. And that experience came in handy when I was able to return to Europe two years later.”
For the 2022/23 season, Ejuke suspended his contract with CSKA Moscow, leveraging the FIFA ruling related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.