Former Liverpool and Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe grateful to get “second chance” with National League Ebbsfleet United

New Ebbsfleet signing Jordon Ibe is “lucky and grateful” to be given a second chance with the club.

Ibe has fallen out of love with the game in recent years but has joined the National League side in a bid to revive a career that saw him play in the Premier League for Liverpool as a teenager.

A multi-million pound move followed to Bournemouth for the former England youth international but he’s struggled to recapture that form since leaving the Cherries in 2020.

Since a brief spell with Derby, Ibe has suffered a broken leg, spent time in Turkey with Adanaspor and bravely spoken publicly about his battles with depression.

“I feel like the time out was to humble myself and get my mind right,” said Ibe, who was an unused substitute during Ebbsfleet’s FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie with Slough at the weekend.

“I was speaking to my missus on the way to the game on Saturday and I said I feel like a kid again, going to football, because it’s been a while since I’ve put on club attire and gone to a matchday.

“It feels new but it’s not new because I’ve done it in the Premier League, so it’s refreshing. Not everyone gets a second chance but I’m lucky and grateful.

“This could have never happened and I’d be waiting for another club.”

Ibe has been training with the Fleet for a number of weeks, and he’s enjoyed being back in the environment.

It’s a stark contrast to the period he’s had out of the game and struggled to find the right club to give him a chance.

“It came at a time when Covid came as well so I was just stuck indoors,” said Ibe.

“It wasn’t the best time for me so just being in this environment and space, I mean it when I say it, it means a lot to me, even just coming in and training, being here afterwards and chatting