Liverpool have regret over Jordan Henderson exit as Jurgen Klopp plan emerges
Liverpool had expected former club captain Jordan Henderson to play a significant role in their resurgence this season before his shock move to Saudi Arabia.
Henderson, 33, turned his back on Anfield after a trophy-laden 12-year stay to sign for Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by fellow ex-Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard. The England international has already quit Saudi life in favour of a return to Europe with Dutch giants Ajax, as he completed a move to Amsterdam last Thursday.
His career path could've been so different, though, as Henderson had been set to be the leader of Jurgen Klopp's new-look Reds side dubbed Liverpool 2.0. According to the Daily Mail, senior Anfield figures were convinced that the former Sunderland midfielder would remain a pillar of the club on and off the pitch, despite his performances waining throughout the course of last season.
Henderson was named captain by ex-manager Brendan Rodgers following Gerrard's departure in the summer of 2015. After Klopp's arrival just over a year later, Henderson would be at the heart of Liverpool's greatest period since the 1980s; as they became European champions for the sixth time in 2019 and followed-up that campaign by ending their 30-year wait to lift the English title.
Now Henderson has new ambitions in Holland ahead of his potential debut away to Heracles in the Eredivisie on Saturday. Despite Ajax enduring a dreadful first half of the season, the ex-Reds hero is excited by the prospect of a new challenge, having signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.
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"It's one of the biggest clubs in the world and the biggest club in Holland," Henderson declared at his unveiling last Friday. "It's a great challenge for me to play here. I want to help the club and be as successful as possible."
"I want to showcase myself here and do what I always do: help my teammates improve... Leadership comes in all forms, and in the past, I've worked with people who helped me with that. I want to lead by example, both on and off the pitch."
Your turn! Was the time right for Jordan Henderson to leave Liverpool? Let us know your verdict in the comments section.
Jordan Henderson is now an Ajax player (Remko de Waal/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)The 33-year-old also took the opportunity to apologise to those who felt insulted by his move to Saudi, a country in which homosexuality remains illegal. Henderson had been a visible ally for the LGBTQ+ community during his latter years at Liverpool.
"I said six months ago that if I offended anybody or people felt I let them down then I apologise for that and I'll apologise again," he added. "My beliefs have never changed, never will and again I can only apologise. I haven't changed as a person. I want to continue to focus on football."
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