Jordan Henderson agrees huge contract with Al-Ettifaq after talks with Klopp
Jordan Henderson has accepted a huge contract offer from Al-Ettifaq after talks with Jürgen Klopp but the deal depends on the Saudi Arabian club’s willingness to meet Liverpool’s asking price for their captain.
Al-Ettifaq had hoped to sign the 33year-old midfielder on a free transfer but Liverpool are demanding £10m and the clubs are due to discuss the fee. Henderson has given a verbal agreement in principle to Al-Ettifaq’s proposal and if the transfer goes through he will end a 12-year stay at Anfield.
The England international had talks on Thursday with Klopp, who has signed two midfielders this summer – Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister – and was pursuing a third even before Al-Ettifaq’s interest in Henderson. Roméo Lavia is on Liverpool’s shortlist but no bid has been made for the Southampton player and the club are also working on other options.
Henderson made 43 appearances for Liverpool last season and has two years on his contract. Al-Ettifaq are managed by his former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool’s official LGBT+ fans’ group, Kop Outs, has condemned Henderson’s
potential move to Saudi Arabia and Gerrard for managing in a country where homosexuality is illegal. Henderson
has been a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ community as Liverpool’s captain – being nominated as Football Ally at the LGBT Awards in 2021 – and has written in his programme notes about standing “shoulder-to-shoulder” with anyone who feels excluded.
“Kop Outs have valued the allyship shown by @Jhenderson,” a statement said. “We are appalled and concerned that anyone might consider working for a sportswashing operation for a regime where women & LGBT+ people are oppressed and that regularly tops the world death sentence table …
“Gerrard’s participation in this sportswashing is particularly galling given his previous support for LA Galaxy teammate Robbie Rogers [who came out as gay in 2013]. When someone’s made a fortune, should money tempt them to go to work? Maybe they should be asking themselves those questions. We hope that Jordan Henderson proves to be a man of his word and stays true to the values of our club, which so far he has been an absolute embodiment of.”