Gift to gain experience at Eibar under Aranbarri | OneFootball

Jokin Aranbarri has used his contacts to bring Elijah Gift to Eibar on loan. The winger arrives until season’s end, his first taste of professional football.

As reported by as.com, Eibar and Athletic struck a season-long agreement to keep him at Ipurua. After a pre-season under Terzic and few first-team chances, he moves to the Segunda División to develop.

Born in Corella, Navarra, and raised in England from nine, Gift joined Lezama three seasons ago from Liverpool’s academy for €1.5m, a record youth outlay for Athletic. At 17 he started in Juvenil A, then made 30 Primera Federación appearances with two goals and two assists for the reserves.

A left-footed winger who can play on both flanks, he is prized for dribbling and pace, with power and direct running. He has played for Spain under-17s, has been courted by Nigeria and could also be eligible for the Three Lions.

Competition will be tight, with four others fighting for two wide berths. Injuries left Eibar short, with Jon Guruzeta’s lingering issue and a setback for Eric Pérez, now in the first team, reducing options to Pejiño and Adu Ares.

That should be less likely now after Gift’s arrival and the versatility Maguanzelaia showed in the second half against Real Valladolid. For now he must earn his minutes under Aranbarri, who knows his qualities first hand.

Source: as.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”