After months of speculation, longtime Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will finally leave the club this summer. The veteran will join Saudi club Al-Ettifaq, where former Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard was appointed as manager a few days back.
He is the latest Premier League star to make the move to the Arab country, with stars like N’Golo Kante, former teammate Roberto Firmino, Kalidou Koulibaly, and others already there.
Henderson’s last season saw him injured a lot and a significant drop in performance. This must have led him to decide to finally leave the club.
Jordan Henderson’s heartfelt message to Liverpool fans
The move was rumored many times in recent weeks, especially after Al Ettifaq appointed Steven Gerrard as manager. It is thought that Gerrard wanted Henderson as a priority signing. The veteran confirmed the move with a heartfelt message to Liverpool fans, many of whom are disappointed to see him leave.
He said, “It’s hard to put these last 12 years into words, it’s even harder to say goodbye. I will always be a Red. Until the day I die. Thank you. You’ll never walk alone.”
“It’s hard to put these last 12 years into words, it’s even harder to say goodbye. I will always be a Red. Until the day I die”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 26, 2023
“Thank you. You’ll never walk alone”.
🔴 Jordan Henderson says goodbye to Liverpool fans as he’s joining Al Ettifaq. pic.twitter.com/vTbt1Nq3ch
Jordan Henderson was one of Liverpool’s most successful players in recent times. He spent 12 long years at the club, overseeing the club and winning some big trophies. He has won eight in total and has lifted seven of them as the captain.
He first moved to the Reds from Sunderland in 2011. Little did everyone know, he would be one of the club’s best players. The midfielder soon impressed, playing pivotal roles in the team’s 2-014 title charge. He was soon called up to represent England in the national team.
When Steven Gerrard left the club, he was given the captain’s armband, a decision many criticized at the time. The arrival of Jürgen Klopp in the 2015 campaign changed things. He turned the team around into an unstoppable force, with Henderson right in the middle.
Liverpool would lose a UCL final in 2018 and a Premier League title race as well in 2019. But Henderson rallied them to the 2019 UCL victory and eventually the 2020 Premier League title. He was the first captain in 30 years to lift the trophy for Liverpool. Over the years, he would win more trophies, winning every trophy possible at the club.
He has 492 appearances, the third most in the club’s record books. After 12 years, the Liverpool legend finally closes his chapter.
Jordan Henderson Al Ettifaq contract details
Al Ettifaq first hoped that Henderson would arrive for free, but Liverpool was adamant to get a transfer fee. Henderson did have a contract until 2025 which would mean he would have to play for two more years. Finally, the two clubs agreed on a £12m for the English player. Henderson had previously already agreed to join, giving his verbal agreement to the club. Later, on Saturday, he even completed a medical there.
Jordan Henderson joins Al Ettifaq on 3 year contract — official, confirmed 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/UlQyxIrbGn
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 27, 2023
According to the Athletic, Henderson would be given a three-year contract at the Saudi club. But he is also set to become the highest-paid English player on the planet. Henderson would earn a massive weekly wage of $900,000, which accumulates to $46.9 m annually. This is significantly more than the $257,000 he used to earn at Liverpool.
The highest-paid player that is next to him is Jadon Sancho, who earns $23.4m annually at Manchester United. Henderson would therefore earn 140.7 million at the end of his time in Saudi.
Jordan Henderson would be expected to make his presentation for Al-Ettifaq soon. He would also hope to get back in action as the club’s pre-season has already ended.
