5 Liverpool academy graduates who have flopped after leaving Anfield
While some Liverpool academy graduates have forged a successful career away from Anfield, others have struggled to live up to the hype.
Liverpool have produced plenty of gems over the years but for every Steven Gerrard or Trent Alexander-Arnold, there are countless other examples of players who don’t quite make it.
We’ve taken a closer look at some of the players Liverpool have produced over the years and have found five of them who flopped after leaving the club.
Rhian Brewster
Following a prolific loan spell with Swansea City, Brewster was tipped to be the next big thing coming out of Liverpool.
While Jurgen Klopp had started to integrate him into the senior squad, Sheffield United’s £23.5million offer was simply too good to refuse.
It’s also worth mentioning that Liverpool did include a £40million buy-back clause in the deal which highlights just how highly they rated him at the time.
However, given the striker has only scored six goals over the last four and a half seasons, it’s safe to say that Liverpool haven’t been tempted to bring him back at any stage.
The 24-year-old went the entire 2023–24 season without scoring and he’s struggled to find much form for the Blades this season either.
With his original five-year deal set to come to an end this summer, his long-term future now hangs in the balance.
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Jordon Ibe
While Ibe technically came through the Wycombe academy, the winger joined Liverpool when he was 16 and initially joined their under-18s squad.
A technical winger with an eye for goal, Ibe quickly rose through the ranks at Anfield and made 58 senior appearances before he was sold in 2016.
Given he’d joined Bournemouth for a club-record fee of £15million, expectation levels were high when he initially joined the Cherries.
Despite showing some signs of promise early on, the former Liverpool man quickly fell down the pecking order at Bournemouth and struggled to find much form during his last few years at the club.
“He hasn’t been a regular in the team and that will be a disappointment for him and for us,” Eddie Howe told reporters in 2017.
“I still feel there’s a lot of potential in there, but obviously he’s got to fulfil that when he gets chances.”
In 2021, Ibe revealed that he was in a ‘dark place’ and suffering from depression.
“I will fix myself and this situation, which I’m 100% committed to, not only for my family, friends or my beautiful daughter, but for me,” Ibe said.
After spending some time away from football, the 29-year-old recently had spells with non-league clubs Ebbsfleet United and Hayes & Yeading United but currently finds himself as a free agent.
Ovie Ejaria
When Ejaria left Liverpool in 2020 to join Reading, the technically gifted midfielder was receiving rave reviews in the Championship as the transfer initially looked like a hit.
The attacking midfielder would dance around EFL defenders with ease, although things started to go wrong following his eye-catching campaign in 2020-21.
Injuries started to hamper his progression and during Reading’s relegation season in 2022-23, Ejaria only managed 422 minutes of Championship football.
After barely featuring during his last 12 months as a Reading player, his contract was terminated by mutual consent in December 2023 and he’s been a free agent since.
The 27-year-old has recently had trials with Plymouth Argyle and Egyptian side Zamalek but hasn’t landed himself a contract.
Ben Woodburn
When Woodburn became Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer, the hype levels went into overdrive. He became a fully-fledged Welsh international as a teenager and looked to be heading for the very top.
However, following a few underwhelming loan spells with Sheffield United, Oxford, Blackpool and Hearts, he was eventually let go in 2022.
Preston North End snapped up the Welsh international on a free transfer, but Woodburn struggled to establish himself as a regular during his two-year stint at Deepdale.
During his two years at Preston, he only started in 13 league matches and was let go at the end of last season upon his contract expiring.
He’s since dropped down to League Two where he’s discovered some form playing for Salford City. Still just 25, he could have the best years of his career ahead of him yet.
READ: 6 world-class players who dramatically declined after leaving Liverpool
Jon Flanagan
The local full-back made 51 senior appearances for Liverpool but didn’t exactly pull up many trees after leaving.
Steven Gerrard signed him for Rangers in 2018, but he only lasted two years in Scotland before he was released upon his contract expiring.
Following a couple of short spells in Belgium and Denmark, Flanagan announced his retirement from the game in 2022 as a result of a reoccurring knee injury.