Jordan Henderson is reportedly on the verge of ending his 12-year stay at Liverpool in favour of a transfer to Saudi Arabian side, Al Ettifaq. According to the reliable David Ornstein, the 33-year-old has been offered a bumper contract by Al Ettifaq and he is seriously considering making the move to Saudi Arabia this summer.
Al Ettifaq finished 11th last season in the Saudi Pro League and the club will need to get busy this summer to ensure they don't fall behind the rest of the league as a series of big names make the move to Saudi Arabia. So far, Al Ettifaq are yet to make a marquee signing this summer, however, they have appointed Steven Gerrard as their manager.
The ex-Rangers and Aston Villa boss signed a tw0-year deal with the club just last week and is reportedly set to earn around £8m per season. Since Gerrard was confirmed as the club's new boss, they have been linked with various big names including Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Phillipe Coutinho. However, it appears that Henderson is the 43-year-old's top target.
Will Jordan Henderson sign for Al Ettifaq?
According to various reports, Henderson is planning on making a concrete decision on the move quickly. David Ornstein reported last night that he was leaning towards the move while Fabrizio Romano has said this morning that the Liverpool captain will hold talks with Jurgen Klopp today about his future. The outcome of that conversation will likely be the deciding factor.
Henderson has been a target for Al Ettifaq ever since Steven Gerrard was first linked with the managerial post and it appears his head may well have been turned by the contract the club have reportedly offered him. It is said that Henderson will quadruple his wages if he went to Saudi Arabia this summer and considering he currently earns £190k per week at Liverpool, he would be set to earn close to 800k a week in the Saudi Pro League.
🚨 Jordan Henderson leaning towards accepting life-changing Al Ettifaq offer. 33yo set to decide imminently. Would quadruple Liverpool wages. Gerrard driving pursuit. If Henderson approves, clubs will immediately hold talks on deal @TheAthleticFC #LFC #SPL https://t.co/cAm84DJ6CK
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 12, 2023
His relationship with Gerrard could also be a factor in his decision. The pair played with each other for several seasons in the early 2010s and Henderson took the captain's armband off Gerrard when the latter hung up his boots in 2016. The pair have remained close over the years which may work in Gerrard's favour in the coming hours.
The latest update from the deal is that Liverpool would demand a fee for their skipper if he does decide to leave. It is understood that Al Ettifaq wanted to bring him in on a free transfer but the Reds, according to Fabrizio Romano, have said they would want a £10m fee as they would ideally want to keep hold of Henderson for another year.
A midfield reboot at Anfield
In further news coming out of Anfield, Al-Ittihad are set to bid £40m for defensive midfielder, Fabinho. The Brazilian has been a key player for Liverpool since signing from Monaco in 2018 but had a season to forget in 2022/23. Considering the bumper offer on the table, Liverpool are expected to accept the transfer which could mean a completely new midfield for the Reds next season.
With James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain already out of the door, and Henderson and Fabinho potentially to follow, Jurgen Klopp will be five midfielders down. The club have already brought in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, however, they would certainly need a few more should Henderson and Fabinho depart.
One name who has been linked with the Reds since the start of the summer is Southampton midfielder Roman Lavia. The 19-year-old performed well for the Saints last season and could be acquired for around £40m.
