Jordan henderson considering leaving liverpool for saudi arabia

Chris Bascombe 12 July 2023 10:49am BST Jordan Henderson is wrestling with the dilemma of whether to quit Liverpool and join the Premier League exodus to Saudi Arabia, with a decision

anticipated shortly. Liverpool have received no formal approach for their captain, but former team-mate and Kop legend Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq are leading the overtures for Henderson.

Now he is facing a big decision on whether to end his 12-year association with the Merseyside club. At 33, Henderson will be weighing up the immediate benefits of a lucrative deal in the

Saudi league – where he would join former team-mate Roberto Firmino and a host of others big names – against the wrench of walking out of Liverpool right now. Henderson still has two years

left on his Liverpool contract but the landscape is evolving with manager Jürgen Klopp rebooting his midfield and with more options to choose from heading into the next season. Klopp

recently paid a combined £95 million for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, who are expected to be immediate starters. Clearly, the decision will be Henderson’s as to whether to

give the Saudis the green light to make an approach to Liverpool. Should a bid materialise, it will be clear Henderson has decided to make the move. Beyond that, Klopp’s response to any such

offer would be fascinating. The Liverpool manager would ideally add another midfielder to his ranks – Southampton’s Romeo Lavia is the next cab on the rank, so to speak – but his £50

million valuation is too high and there would need to be further outgoings. It is illogical from a practical and financial perspective for Klopp to retain nine midfielders in his squad,

especially as Trent Alexander-Arnold is now occupying a hybrid role. That makes for a fluid situation, with Thiago Alcantara also expected to attract further Saudi interest. Nevertheless,

Klopp may want Henderson to stay because of his experience. Having lost James Milner over the summer, it would represent a massive shift for another senior professional to leave. That is why

Henderson’s perspective on the offers is sure to be the most determining factor. Henderson will also be considering the implications for his England career should he move this summer. He

remains pivotal to Gareth Southgate’s plans ahead of next summer’s European championships and will not want to compromise his position. For sure, Klopp will want the situation resolved

quickly as he readies his squad for the crucial conditioning work in their pre-season camp in Germany.