Gillingham are reportedly interested in bringing former Liverpool talent Sheyi Ojo to Priestfield with the Cardiff City winger expected to depart the Bluebirds, according to journalist Darren Witcoop on Twitter.
Cardiff are expecting to let a number of players depart the Welsh capital for pastures new, with Max Watters another one that is likely to leave.
Ojo joining the Gills would be a statement signing for League Two, the sort of purchase that could help Neil Harris’ men in their fight for promotion up to League One next campaign.
Who is Sheyi Ojo?
Sheyi Ojo began his youth career with MK Dons before eventually packing his bags still as a teenager to join the Liverpool ranks.
His time in Milton Keynes was impressive, playing for the Don’s U18 side at just the age of 13. He would also win a cap with the England U16’s whilst in the youth set-up at Stadium MK.
Liverpool would swoop for the then 14-year-old off the back of his impressive time with the Dons, beating the likes of Chelsea to capture the youngster’s signature.
Ojo would go on to make eight overall appearances with the Reds during the the 2015-16 season, before a barrage of loan spells would come the young winger’s way.
Loans out to Wigan Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham would follow with mixed results for the Watford born attacker – the Fulham loan in particular during the 2017-18 season saw Ojo score four goals for the then Championship outfit.
Two of those strikes came in the Cottagers’ barnstorming 5-4 victory against Sheffield United that season, Ojo showing off why Liverpool gambled on him as a teenager.
Loans further afield to Scotland and France would follow before Ojo would join the Bluebirds initially on a temporary basis. Ojo’s move to the Cardiff City Stadium would be his sixth loan move away from Anfield and his most effective time away from Liverpool to date.
He would net five goals in Cardiff blue as the Bluebirds narrowly missed out on the Championship playoffs, a flair player that would excite the City supporters frequently.
Ojo would return to Cardiff on a permanent basis in the summer of 2022, but his goalscoring prowess would not come to the forefront as much – only scoring one solitary goal last campaign in Wales.
The next possible move for the 26-year-old could well be to the Gills in League Two, the former Liverpool teenager now considered a journeyman.
Dropping Down The Divisions
It’ll be intriguing to see if Ojo will drop down to League Two and whether or not Gillingham can afford the wages the winger will desire, this will not be a cheap move by any stretch of the imagination.
If the Gills were to pull this deal off, it would mean that Neil Harris is reunited with one of his former players from his Cardiff management days.
Harris managed Ojo during his short stay in the Welsh capital as manager, could he convince the 26-year-old to up and move to Kent to link up once more?
Writer’s View
Sheyi Ojo was tipped as the next best thing when he broke onto the scene at Liverpool after excelling at Milton Keynes, but as is often the case with hyped up youngsters, the 26-year-old failed to live up to grand expectations.
Still, he would be viewed as an excellent signing for most League One clubs so his link with the League Two Gills would be an astounding purchase if pulled off.
Ojo would also offer Neil Harris’ men more firepower up top, something that has been lacking in Gillingham’s forward play in pre-season so far.
