- Jordan Henderson is set to leave Al-Ettifaq this month
- The former Liverpool captain signed a £700,000-a-week deal in the summer
- CHRIS SUTTON: Don’t wait! Sir Jim Ratcliffe must fire Erik ten Hag now – It’s All Kicking Off
Jordan Henderson’s Saudi Arabian adventure is set to end after just six months, with the former Liverpool captain on the verge of signing for Ajax.
The England international joined Al-Ettifaq in the summer for £12million on a three-year deal worth £700,000-a-week, but never settled in Saudi Arabia.
According to The Athletic, the 33-year-old is in the process of finalising the termination of the contract with Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by his former Anfield teammate Steven Gerrard.
Henderson left the club’s winter training camp in Dubai on Tuesday night and was scheduled to fly back to Europe after agreeing a move to Ajax in principle.
The Dutch giants have pushed hard to secure a deal for Henderson, with caretaker coach John van’t Schip confirming their interest following his side’s win at Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday.
‘I can confirm the club and Henderson are talking,’ said Van ‘t Schip. ‘He has to deal with his club now.’
Earlier this month, Mail Sport revealed Henderson was seeking to return to Europe after becoming disillusioned with life in Saudi Arabia.
A frustration at the facilities on offer has been mentioned more than once. The quality of the gym, in particular, cited as a sore point – despite Saudi insistence out that it was given a significant revamp during a recent international break.
Henderson also struggled to cope with Saudi Arabia’s searing heat and looked visibly exhausted after playing in 30C temperature on his debut back in August.
The England international, who was appointed captain upon joining the club, has made 19 appearances in all competitions for Al-Ettifaq, registering five assists.
Al-Ettifaq are without a win in the last six games and sit eighth in the table, 28 points behind league leaders Al-Hilal.
Off the pitch, meanwhile, Henderson and his young family lived in more liberal Bahrain but struggled to settle in the Middle East and wanted to return to England or move to Europe.
Mail Sport reported over the weekend Al-Ettifaq were reluctant to allow Henderson to leave in January, despite interest from Ajax and Juventus, but their stance softened over the past 24 hours.
Henderson’s £700,000-a-week salary means he would have faced a mammoth £7million blow to his finances if he returned to the Premier League in January.
The tax-free element of his pay packet only applies if he stays in Saudi Arabia for two years and the country has a flat income tax rate of 20 per cent.
The former Liverpool midfielder was criticised for his move to Saudi Arabia, where same-sex sexual activity is illegal, as campaigners felt it contradicted his support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Henderson had been vocal in his support of the rainbow laces campaign and ending LGBTQ+ discrimination in football during his time at Anfield.
In an interview with The Athletic in September, he said he understood the anger surrounding his move to Saudi Arabia, but claimed he moved to the country to help ‘grow the sport all over the world’.
He said that people were aware of his ‘views and values’, claiming that his presence in Saudi Arabia could ultimately be a ‘positive thing’, despite the barrage of criticism coming his way.
‘I can understand the frustration. I can understand the anger. I get it,’ Henderson said.
‘All I can say around that is that I’m sorry that they feel like that. My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone.
‘My intention has always been to help causes and communities where I felt like they have asked for my help.
‘I think people know what my views and values were before I left and still do now. And I think having someone with those views and values in Saudi Arabia is only a positive thing.’
Ajax’s form has drastically improved under Van’t Schip, with the Amsterdammers recording seven wins and two draws in the Eredivisie since he was appointed on October 30.
The unbeaten run has taken Ajax up to fifth in the table, but they remain 23 points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven and 11 points behind second-placed Feyenoord.
Ajax won just five points from their opening seven fixtures and sacked Maurice Steijn after 11 games in charge.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
