Surprise club ready to end Henderson's Saudi misery - Romano

Milan Keskin

• 9 Jan 2024 13:53 GMT
• 3 min read

Ajax are interested in signing Jordan Henderson, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The midfielder is reportedly not happy at Al-Ettifaq and wants to leave immediately. A return to England and the Premier League seemed plausible, but Ajax have now appeared as one of the favourites to land the former Liverpool captain.

According to transfer expert Romano, it remains to be seen whether Al-Ettifaq will allow Henderson to depart, but the 33-year-old midfielder would rather leave Saudi Arabia sooner rather than later.

Henderson was signed from Liverpool for €14 million last summer. At Ettifaq, he was reunited with his former teammates Steven Gerrard and Georginio Wijnaldum.

The move to Saudi Arabia came with a lot of criticism. The captain of the England national team, who had been an outspoken defender of LGBTQ+ rights, set the wrong example by leaving for a country where those rights are under threat.

Henderson still decided to make the transfer and sign a contract until 2026, which means he now earns an amount of €800,000 every week.

Henderson back to Europe?

However, Henderson now appears to regret his move. The Sunderland-trained midfielder knows that he will have to give up a large part of his salary when returning to Europe, but that won't prevent a transfer, according to reports.

The 81-time international wants to leave Al-Ettifaq at all costs and is therefore prepared to part with his million-dollar salary. In the meantime, Celtic have already tentatively asked whether the midfielder would be open to an adventure in Scotland.

The Premiership leaders would like to strengthen the squad with the veteran, who would encounter an old acquaintance in Glasgow: Brendan Rodgers. The pair worked together at Liverpool for a total of three years, after which the Northern Irish coach was released by the Reds in October 2015.

According to Romano, Ajax are certainly not the only club in the market for Henderson. The Amsterdam team are looking for a new number six with experience, so it is not surprising that Ajax choose Henderson, who won the Champions League and Premier League during his time at Liverpool.

The only question is whether Ajax can meet the demands of both Henderson and Al-Ettifaq financially. It is no secret that the Amsterdam team does not have much to spend during this transfer period, while the Englishman earns a salary of millions in Saudi Arabia and Etiffaq reportedly want to make a profit in the event of a permanent departure.