Jordan Henderson is set to join Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia in a bumper deal after the club agreed a fee with Liverpool for the services of the England midfielder. Henderson has been the subject of interest of Al-Ettifaq all summer but the Saudi club seem to have finally got their man after agreeing terms with Liverpool last night.
Over the past couple of weeks, it had become common knowledge that the Liverpool captain was keen on the move and that he had agreed personal terms with Al-Ettifaq. After talks with manager, Jurgen Klopp, Henderson confirmed his desire to leave Liverpool, and the two clubs then started talks on agreeing a fee.
Earlier this week, it appeared that the deal might have been off the table as Al-Ettifaq felt that Liverpool's valuation of the midfielder was too high. They had intended on signing the 33-year-old on a free transfer but Liverpool insisted on a fee. Then, last night the two clubs finally reached a compromise with an offer of £12m accepted by the Reds.
How much will Henderson earn in Saudi Arabia?
It is now expected that Henderson, who had traveled with the Liverpool squad to Germany for a pre-season training camp, will make his way to Saudi Arabia to complete a medical and sign the contract with his new club. He will be greeted by Steven Gerrard, who recently signed a two-year deal as manager with Al-Ettifaq.
Gerrard had made Henderson his primary target for his new club and as such, the England midfielder will more than treble his wages in Saudi Arabia. According to reports, he will sign a two-year deal with Al-Ettifaq, with an option of a third year, and he will earn around £700,000 per week. This figure dwarfs the £200,000 per week deal that Henderson was earning at Liverpool.
🚨 Jordan Henderson set to leave Liverpool training camp after Al Ettifaq reach agreement in principle to sign 33yo. 3yr deal in place for England midfielder. Still needs to be finalised. Led by Steven Gerrard @TheAthleticFC after @FabrizioRomano #LFC #SPL https://t.co/TUS1o2GqS6
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 19, 2023
He only had one year remaining on that deal at Anfield and was unlikely to be offered similar terms again. He leaves Liverpool after playing 492 games for the Reds, winning the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020 and he will now need to be replaced by a fresh pair of legs in the Liverpool midfield.
Why Henderson's move to Saudi Arabia is controversial
In the past, Jordan Henderson has been praised for his outspoken nature in relation to supporting LGBTQ+ causes. He has proudly worn the rainbow captaincy armband in the past and was considered to be a strong public ally for the LGBTQ+ community.
His move to Saudi Arabia has therefore been heavily criticised by LQBTQ+ campaigners as same-sex sexual relationships are illegal in Saudi Arabia. Henderson is yet to respond to these critics but may have to in the coming days if the move goes ahead as planned.
