Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has said his farewells ahead of travelling to join up with Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq tomorrow.
Henderson underwent a medical in Manchester on Friday, and will end his 12-year association with the Reds to make the controversial move to the Saudi Pro League.
Unlike Saudi Arabia’s top four clubs, Al-Ettifaq do not have financial backing from the Public Investment Fund, and so the £12m deal will be through a structured timeline of payment, which Liverpool have improved.
The 33-year-old has been offered a contract worth in the region of £700,000 per week to link-up with former team-mate Gerrard, and after talks with Jurgen Klopp looks set to leave Anfield.
It is thought Henderson spoke to Klopp at length about the amount of playing time he’ll get next season, and his future role in the team.
The midfielder has also held discussions with England boss Gareth Southgate over how a move to the middle east would impact his international future.
In his twelve years on Merseyside, Henderson has lifted seven major trophies – including the Premier League and Champions League – and spent the last eight seasons as captain of the club.
The decision to move to Al-Ettifaq isn’t one he has taken lightly, and has already faced some backlash by those who see the move as tainting Henderson’s public display of stance about rainbow laces and ending LGBT discrimination in football.
However, his new team will benefit from his arrival on the pitch having suffered another disappointing pre-season defeat.
Gerrard’s side were beaten 1-0 by Lokomotiva Zagreb in Croatia, with the new boss still looking for his win in his post after losing two of his opening three games in charge.
Henderson could yet also be joined in Saudi Arabia by his fellow Reds midfielder Fabinho, who was left off of the club’s pre-season tour to mull over a £40million move to Al-Ittihad.
The departures of both midfielders would leave Klopp’s side seeking reinforcements in the middle, having already added Alexis Mac Allister and Dominic Szoboszlai to their ranks.
A list of targets is said to include include Cheick Doucoure of Crystal Palace, Fiorentina captain Sofyan Amrabat, Kalvin Phillips of Manchester City and Ryan Gravenberch, who’s long been linked with a move to Merseyside.
Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid is another name that is on the club’s radar, but it’s unlikely he would leave the Bernabeu.
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