Sheyi Ojo's new club may shock Cardiff City supporters following summer axe: View | OneFootball

Sheyi Ojo has found a new club following his release from Cardiff City

Sheyi Ojo has finally found a new club following his release from Cardiff City at the end of the 2023/24 campaign - and it will certainly leave some supporters in shock.

The winger came through Liverpool's youth ranks after being signed from MK Dons at the age of fourteen for a reported £2m fee. Poised for a significant future in his formative years, Ojo has largely failed to vindicate his rich potential, leading a somewhat nomadic career in recent years.

From Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers to Reims, Rangers, Cardiff and Kortrijk, Ojo has seen no shortage of destinations, and he has recently made his most surprising one yet, signing on at the 10th club of his career despite still being just 27 years old.

Sheyi Ojo's time at Cardiff City

Cardiff were one of a plethora of Championship clubs to take Ojo on loan after he had previously spent time in the second-tier with Wigan, Wolves and Fulham - helping the latter to promotion in the 2017/18 campaign.

Ojo signed on a season-long loan for Cardiff from the Reds alongside Harry Wilson in September 2020. Though blighted by bouts of inconsistency, Ojo impressed nonetheless and returned five strikes and seven assists amid 25 starts, equating to 0.37 goal involvements per 90 minutes.

He did fall down the pecking order under Mick McCarthy following his appointment at the end of January, but his time with the club still managed to convince Cardiff enough to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer of 2022. Ojo, fresh off the back of a disappointing loan spell with Millwall, had become a free agent and his return to the Welsh capital was met with real excitement from supporters.

However, one could quite well argue with the benefit of hindsight that his spell at The Den was a sign of what was to come. Cardiff sorely struggled across the 2022/23 season and were only saved from relegation courtesy of Reading's six point deduction.

They were low on firepower, attacking impetus, strategy - and nearly everything else, for that matter - and Ojo was a particular disappointment, scoring just once and contributing no assists from 36 matches, 24 of which were starts.

Having returned to the Bluebirds permanently on a two-year contract, his future was all but a foregone conclusion when he was sent out on loan to sister club Kortrijk of the Belgian top-flight.

However, any hopes of Ojo redeeming his career with the club were swiftly dashed, and he struggled for form on the continent too, contributing to no more than two goals in 32 matches across all competitions.

As such, there was not an ounce of surprise when he was named on Cardiff's list of released players at the end of the previous season - but his latest move is bound to provide a bit more shock.

Sheyi Ojo signs for Maribor following Cardiff City release

Instead of remaining in the EFL, where a drop-down to League One would have been the most likely course of action, Ojo has elected to join 16-time Slovenian top-flight champions Maribor following his release from the Bluebirds.

Very few British players ever wind up plying their trade in Slovenia, so it has to be considered a real surprise that Ojo has found himself there at the age of 27, where he very much should be in his prime.

Of course, though, Ojo simply has to revive his career and making something of a drop may well end up renewing his confidence and fortunes.

Maribor finished in second place in last term's Prva Liga standings and twelve points behind champions NK Celje - who do have ex-Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday winger Rolando Aarons within their ranks.

Ojo will likely be handed the opportunity to feature in European football next season, with Maribor having contested in qualification for the UEFA Conference League prior to his arrival.

Rather interestingly, he will line up alongside Josip Ilicic, who was among the very finest attackers on the continent for a few years and scored 60 goals for Atalanta before returning to his homeland.