Already criticized for his arrival in Saudi Arabia last summer, Jordan Henderson expressed his desire to leave only six months later. And obviously, the English press did not miss it.
He had also tried to join Saudi Arabia, but for him, the dream turned into a nightmare. At 33 and after 12 years at Liverpool, Jordan Henderson , then captain of the Reds when he left, accepted the offer from Al-Ettifaq, where he found a certain Steven Gerrard. But upon his arrival, the English midfielder had already been heavily criticized in England . Many media and English football personalities criticized him for his choice to join the Gulf country, he who was personally invested in the fight against racism and discrimination affecting the LGBTQ+ community.
On the field, Jordan Henderson was not catastrophic and instead held the Al-Ettifaq midfielder. But his decent performance and his nice salary (between 40 and 45 million euros per year) do not seem to be enough for him. This week, we learned that the ex-captain of the Reds would have difficulty settling in Saudi Arabia and would be looking for a new base. The England international would already like to return to England as soon as possible, even if it means drawing a line under the money he could earn if he continued his contract currently running until June 30, 2026.
The English press does not spare Henderson
A situation which obviously made the English press laugh. “Jordan Henderson wants to end his 'Saudi hell' and return to the PL? Really ? But what makes him think he's still good enough? After six months playing the equivalent of League One, does he still have what it takes? , had first commented Richard Keys, the BBC consultant . “The most obvious reaction to the news that Jordan Henderson is leaving Saudi Arabia after just six months is to simply make fun of him. How could he claim it was a 'good thing' to move to a country that outlaws, tortures and even kills people for being gay ? been the most virulent.
Since the Telegraph assures that “the former Liverpool captain has trashed his reputation and could struggle to repair the scars of his controversial – and failed – transfer to Al-Ettifaq (…) With a certain nerve, Henderson described as “ disappointing” the fact that he was booed at Wembley during England's friendly against Australia last autumn. His image and reputation have been tarnished and no amount of money can cure him ,” it is written. Since now, it remains difficult to know which English clubs would like to recover him. The Reds, through the voice of Jürgen Klopp, have also dodged the subject: “Jordan Henderson did not call me. We talk, but not about this. So there’s really nothing to say about that . ” In short, Saudi Arabia is not a paradise for every footballer .