Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson does not plan to move to Saudi Arabia this summer and join Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq as the Reds star prepares to fight for his place with the Premier League giants.
It was reported last week by the Daily Mail that Henderson and Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are two of Gerrard’s top targets after he was appointed as manager of the Saudi Arabian club.
The same outlet is now reporting that exploratory talks have taken place between intermediaries acting on behalf of Al-Ettifaq and Henderson, but it’s understood that the England midfielder would be reluctant to join the Saudi Pro League at this stage of his career.
Henderson’s game time is expected to be significantly reduced this season after Liverpool brought in both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szobozslai. Jurgen Klopp is expected to add a third midfielder before the transfer window shuts, which does not bode well for the Reds captain.
However, it has to be admired that the England international wants to stay and fight for his place and on the other hand, it would not be good for Klopp’s dressing room to lose another key figure after James Milner left the Merseyside club at the end of last season.
That’s a shame, it’s time and he could have had a couple of years in a palace in the sun. He deserves it.