Former Liverpool star wakes up unemployed after having contract ripped up by Championship strugglers

A FORMER Liverpool has woken up unemployed after having his contract ripped up by a struggling Championship side.

Daniel Ayala, 33, is officially a free agent after leaving Rotherham.

Alamy

Daniel Ayala is a free agent after being released by Rotherham[/caption]

The Spaniard made five Premier League appearances for LiverpoolGetty

The Spanish defender only joined the Millers in October.

He penned a contract until the end of the season.

And Ayala’s time at New York Stadium saw him make just seven appearances.

The centre-back’s last games came in December, when he received consecutive red cards.

Ayala then suffered a long-term injury and was removed from Rotherham’s 25-man squad at the end of January.

And the relegation battlers, who are 19 points adrift of safety at the foot of the Championship table, have called time on Ayala’s brief stay.

The 6ft3in goliath started his youth career at Sevilla before joining Liverpool’s academy in 2007.

He went on to make five Premier League appearances for the Reds in the 2009/10 season.

HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON HORSE RACING

And Ayala then spent time on loan at Hull and Derby before joining Norwich on a permanent deal in 2011.

He played 10 times for the Canaries while also taking in a loan at Nottingham Forest.

Ayala was snapped up by Middlesbrough in 2013 and played 229 times for the Teesiders, while also helping them win promotion to the top flight in 2016.

Afterwards, he spent three years at Blackburn where he featured 58 times before joining Rotherham last summer.