Ejaria’s Next Move in La Liga: Signing with Newly Promoted Real Oviedo

From Liverpool to a Hero at Reading: The Story of Ovie Ejaria and His Next Move in La Liga

Ovie Ejaria’s career has rarely moved in straight lines. Once a highly rated Liverpool academy midfielder with a first-team debut under Jürgen Klopp, he later became a creative fulcrum at Reading before injuries, personal setbacks, and a contract termination left him searching for the right environment to restart. At 27, that reset has arrived in northern Spain. Real Oviedo — newly promoted to LaLiga — have signed Ejaria on a two-year deal after a successful summer trial, reuniting him with a coach who trusts him and offering the midfielder a stage that matches his talent.

This is a player who has always carried a certain elegance with the ball — the type of composure and close control that stands out even in a crowded midfield. For Oviedo, it’s a low-risk, high-upside signing. For Ejaria, it’s a second chance to prove his enduring quality against some of the most tactically sophisticated sides in world football.

From Liverpool to Reading: Early Promise

Ejaria’s rise began in the red of Liverpool, a club that prides itself on producing technically polished footballers through its academy. Joining from Arsenal’s youth ranks in 2014, he quickly established himself as one of the standout prospects in the U18s and U21s. His senior debut came under Jürgen Klopp in 2016, featuring in both domestic cups and European competition. Those who watched him in those early matches noted his ability to glide past challenges with minimal effort, a style reminiscent of continental midfielders rather than the more direct English archetype.

Loan spells at Sunderland and Rangers followed, each offering flashes of what he could do, but not yet the sustained run of form or stability required for development. His natural talent was unquestioned; what remained was finding a team and environment where he could be a central figure rather than a rotational option.

Rise to Prominence at Reading

Reading proved to be that platform. Across loan and permanent spells, Ejaria’s best football arrived at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, where he evolved from a promising loanee into a creative hub trusted to progress the ball and unlock compact blocks. Local analysis at the time of his eventual departure remembered him as a player who, at his peak, gave Reading a distinctive technical edge in transition and in settled possession — the kind of midfielder supporters felt could tilt a tight Championship match.

Reading supporters admired more than just his skill; they appreciated his vision. In a league often dominated by high-intensity, direct play, Ejaria’s willingness to pause, assess, and create moments of composure was a refreshing contrast. During the 2020/21 season, when Reading were briefly in the hunt for promotion, he was often the creative spark in tight games. He didn’t just play passes; he opened doors.

Setbacks and Departures

The arc wasn’t uninterrupted. Injuries and personal issues interrupted momentum, and by December 2023 Reading confirmed Ejaria’s departure by mutual consent. It was a stark punctuation mark — a player once central to their identity leaving without the farewell that sustained form typically affords. For Ejaria, it created the uncertainty all free agents face: finding the right project, fitness rhythm, and trust at the same time.

In the months that followed he explored options in multiple markets. A trial at Egyptian giants Zamalek made headlines but ended swiftly without a deal, with club and local reporting citing concerns over his long spell without competitive action. A lucrative Saudi offer was reportedly discussed, but Ejaria held out for something more suited to his ambitions and style.

The club can today confirm Ovie Ejaria has left the club by mutual consent.

We’d like to thank Ovie for his contributions, and wish him well for the rest of his career.https://t.co/Ex1mj2jPnR pic.twitter.com/oWNBprkskT

— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) December 18, 2023

The Zamalek Detour — and a Familiar Name in the Background

The Zamalek chapter carried an unexpected Reading subplot. Mark Bowen — Reading’s then-head of football operations and previously a key figure at the club — publicly defended Zamalek’s decision not to proceed with a contract. Around the same period, Bowen was charged and later sanctioned by the FA for betting breaches, before departing Reading and, in June 2025, resurfacing as Forest Green Rovers’ director of football. It’s a reminder of how tightly knit football’s ecosystem can be: the same names and judgments echo across continents and years, shaping reputations and opportunities.

BREAKING: Reading's head of football operations Mark Bowen charged by the FA in relation to alleged breaches of its betting rules. pic.twitter.com/OgqpUSd2tG

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 31, 2024

Trial by Summer: Oviedo’s Look Under the Hood

Real Oviedo moved first to understand where Ejaria’s game — and body — stood. The club announced a formal trial in July, integrating him into first-team training. Local reporting out of Oviedo described a player whose possession traits quickly reappeared: economy of touch, balance when receiving on the half-turn, and the ability to break a line with either a carry or a disguised pass.

Ejaria particularly impressed during a friendly against Villarreal, showcasing his technical ability and composure under pressure. Scouts and the club hierarchy took note of his vision, calmness on the ball, and ability to link play efficiently. Friendly minutes, including this standout performance, confirmed that he was more than ready to contribute at LaLiga level.

Just as important, Paunović spoke about him in pragmatic terms: there would be no shortcuts after time away, but if Ejaria’s body responded, the football would follow. By mid-August the evidence was sufficient — a two-year contract through 2027 was confirmed.

Nearly three years after his last appareance for Reading, Ovie Ejaria finally has a new club, linking up with Veljko Paunović to sign a two-year deal with La Liga side Real Oviedo ✍️🇪🇸

Smash it, Ovie 🪄 pic.twitter.com/bKgjaivdox

— Talk Reading (@TalkReading) August 13, 2025

The Paunović Factor

Reunions are only useful when they’re purposeful. Paunović has consistently framed Ejaria as a player who, when correctly managed, can tilt a match without racking up headline-grabbing statistics. That assessment was visible in Reading and echoed in Oviedo’s summer: patience, repetition, and clearly defined tasks. A coach’s conviction doesn’t guarantee outcomes, but in marginal recruitment, aligned belief often separates successful bets from forgettable ones.

Paunović’s public messaging before Oviedo’s LaLiga opener balanced ambition with caution, underscoring a “never give up” mentality while noting registration and administrative steps still being finalised for certain newcomers. Within that, Ejaria’s name surfaced as a player the staff intended to involve as soon as paperwork allowed — another small signal of trust earned on the training pitch.

Why Oviedo — and Why Now?

Oviedo’s squad is adapting to LaLiga after promotion, a step up that simultaneously raises the bar and widens the recruitment lens. A low-cost, high-ceiling addition who already understands his head coach’s demands is precisely the sort of asymmetric play newly promoted teams look for.

There’s also a stylistic fit. LaLiga’s tempo and spacing reward midfielders who can receive under pressure and turn a defensive line with a single carry or angle-changing pass. At his Reading peak, Ejaria did those things naturally; Oviedo’s trial process suggests those habits remain. If fitness holds, he can give Oviedo a different gear in possession — not as a pure runner beyond the ball, but as an organizer who connects thirds and buys time for runners outside him.

A Full Circle — Bowen and the Contrast in Paths

While Ejaria prepares for a career reboot under the lights at the Nou Camp and Santiago Bernabéu, former Reading director of football Mark Bowen has taken on a very different path. Now leading recruitment at National League side Forest Green Rovers, Bowen will instead be planning trips to Truro and Tamworth. The irony is heightened by Bowen’s past public comments criticising Ejaria during his Reading days.

It’s a vivid illustration of how fortunes and reputations in football can diverge sharply. One man charts a course through Spain’s top flight, the other navigates England’s fifth tier. Bowen’s focus on rebuilding at Forest Green contrasts starkly with Ejaria’s chance to perform at some of the most iconic stadiums in world football.

Looking Ahead

At 27, Ejaria is entering what should be his prime years as a midfielder. For a player once tipped as one of the brightest in the Championship, the chance to play at the Nou Camp, Santiago Bernabéu, and other LaLiga stadiums is more than a career revival — it’s an opportunity to finally fulfil early promise. If he adapts quickly, his elegance on the ball could make him a fan favourite in Oviedo, and perhaps a player that bigger Spanish clubs keep an eye on.

Meanwhile, Bowen’s new journey at Forest Green underscores how different decisions and opportunities can shape football careers. Ejaria’s trajectory points upwards; Bowen’s is about pragmatism and restructuring. The paths are intertwined historically but now diverge in a way few could have predicted.