What a fall from grace: Ex-Liverpool star Jordon Ibe, who once cost £15m, joins non-league Ebbsfleet United

 What a fall from grace: Ex-Liverpool star Jordon Ibe, who once cost £15m, joins non-league Ebbsfleet United

Jordon Ibe Europa League Rubin Kazan v Liverpool

WHAT HAPPENED? After being released by Turkish outfit Adanaspor back in 2022, the 27-year-old has signed for non-league side Ebbsfleet United, after more than a year out of the game. The Fleet are currently 16th in the fifth tier, after achieving automatic promotion from the National League South last season.

WHAT THEY SAID: “I just want to get back out there, show people what I can do again and play football,” Jordon told EUFC.co.uk. “I’ve worked hard to be in a position where I am able to focus on football and believe in myself and my ability to contribute on the pitch. Being back out there is where I love to be and where I’m most happy but I needed to be healthy and prepared to give myself that chance. The way Ebbsfleet have helped me and put a process in place so I can be ready has been really supportive.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: At just 27, Ibe still has more than enough to offer the National League outfit a real threat in attack. He has over the last 18 months fully recovered from a broken leg and also publicly spoke out about the battles he has faced with depression. He once cost Bournemouth £15m, a club-record deal, when they signed him from Liverpool back in 2016.