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Jordan Henderson exploring Saudi exit due to England fears
Jordan Henderson is exploring options to leave Al-Ettifaq, with Ajax, Bayer Leverkusen and even Newcastle linked. Newcastle would be a bold move given Henderson’s Sunderland links.
It won’t be easy for Henderson to get a transfer away because Ettifaq want to keep him. Henderson is due back for a training camp in Abu Dhabi next week and there will be face-to-face talks about his future.
Until Ettifaq hear directly from Henderson he wants to leave, the Saudi club are planning to build their team around him. So far there have been no formal enquiries.
A permanent sale is unlikely given the price Ettifaq would demand. A loan could be possible providing a suitor pays 100% of Henderson’s wages and a fee.
Henderson’s wage is not as high as some reports suggest, but it’s still understood to be £8m per year.
There is an acknowledgement from sources in Saudi that Henderson is perhaps starting to worry about his Euro 2024 place with England, but suggestions he’s unhappy with the lifestyle or standard of football have been denied, which is to be expected.
Ettifaq are exploring a range of ambitious options both in January and this summer to bolster Gerrard’s squad. Two Al-Ettifaq targets for this window are Fenerbahce’s Ryan Kent and Al-Hilal’s Abdulellah Al-Malki. Steven Gerrard was part of a three-hour recruitment meeting on Monday where Liverpool’s Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, and Villa’s Bertrand Traore, were also discussed for summer 2024.
Some of these names may be presented to Henderson to help reassure him of future plans and the project. The England midfielder is believed to be self-representing, and should he find a genuine suitor Ettifaq’s ‘not for sale’ stance could yet be tested, but it’s certainly not an easy exit to facilitate.
Chelsea set £60m asking price for Conor Gallagher, but he wants to stay
Conor Gallagher wants to stay at Chelsea, and it’s clear Mauricio Pochettino values him highly. He’s probably been Chelsea’s second-best player behind only Cole Palmer.
However, Gallagher’s contract expires in summer 2025 and Chelsea’s policy is to listen to offers for any player with less than two years left on their existing deal. It was the same with Mason Mount prior to his move to Manchester United.
This means either Gallagher signing a new deal (and talks haven’t advanced yet) or the club contemplating a sale at the right price. Chelsea are not actively offering up Gallagher just yet, but if an appealing offer emerges he could yet be sold in January.
There is no magic number, because structure is equally as important, but it’s understood a guaranteed fee of around £45-50m could potentially tempt Chelsea to sell. The total package might have to reach close to £60m, though.
Gallagher could block a move, as Ian Maatsen did when Chelsea accepted Burnley’s £31.5m offer last summer. But if Chelsea accept any bid, it obviously sends a message to Gallagher that he’s perhaps not part of the club’s long-term plans.
That’s the irony in all this. Right now, Gallagher is integral. But with everyone fit, and the option to captain Reece James or Ben Chilwell, does Gallagher still get one of the two midfield starting spots on a regular basis? At this point, even Mauricio Pochettino probably doesn’t know the answer to that question with any certainty.
Spurs do appreciate Gallagher, but there are no formal talks currently taking place despite reports in Italy. We will have to wait and see whether that changes over the coming weeks.
Spurs tried for Gallagher last summer but didn’t want to pay more than £35m. Given Gallagher’s price has potentially another £20-25m on it, it’s hard to see a deal getting done. Chelsea are unlikely to come significantly down on price, at least not this window.
Ivan Toney would welcome Arsenal transfer but it’s looking increasingly unlikely for January
Arsenal are not currently in talks for Ivan Toney even though many fans feel he’d be a perfect fit. What’s true, though, is that Toney would welcome an approach from Arsenal.
There is no guarantee Arsenal, much like Chelsea, will sign a striker now as opposed to waiting until the summer. And in Toney’s case, it’s just a very expensive outlay to make anything happen. Brentford want £80m+, and some sources even indicate they would hold out for £100m before even entertaining an offer. That’s out of Arsenal’s budget for January.
Toney has also said on record he feels he owes Brentford for their support during his ban for gambling breaches. So it’s more likely at this stage he stays at Brentford in January.
This is also down to the fact Brentford need him to help get them further clear of the relegation zone. Remember, Bryan Mbeumo is injured and Yoane Wissa is at the African Cup of Nations with DR Congo. This will make them even more reluctant to sell Toney now.
A new Toney contract at Brentford also can’t be ruled out, but the challenge is matching his desired wage. But Brentford don’t feel in any rush and although it’s true Toney is starting to plan for his next move, free agency in 2025 is not impossible either.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are happy with Eddie Nketiah, who Mikel Arteta views as a valuable squad member. At the moment they are not entertaining selling Nketiah in January despite firm interest from Crystal Palace. Arsenal value Nketiah at around £35m, but he won’t be allowed to leave unless another striker, and one within Arsenal’s budget, can be found.
I am told Nketiah will really have to push if an offer that he feels is right for him comes this month. Arsenal and Arteta’s perspective is very much that they need all the depth possible for the second-half of the season.
What’s really going on with Mason Greenwood’s future?
It is still too early to predict Mason Greenwood’s next move. He is settled and scoring at Getafe and I don’t see much clarity until later in the year.
Manchester United’s position last year was that Greenwood won’t play for the club again, and it’s not thought Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have discussed any deviating from that plan to date.
Ratcliffe is certainly aware and respectful of the club’s investigation, and conscious multiple staff members voiced concerns about Greenwood returning to Carrington despite the Crown Prosecution Services announcing charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm had been discontinued after a key witness withdrew their involvement in the case.
Any potential Manchester United return will be a very sensitive topic and not one anyone commits to in January. Last year it was made clear by multiple sources, pre-Ratcliffe, that Greenwood wouldn’t play for the club again. To U-turn on that position will require far more than just a football department making that decision.
It is true Getafe would be very open to making a permanent bid for Greenwood, but again nothing is advanced at this point. Links with Real or Barcelona are normal. LaLiga is seeing first hand what Greenwood is capable of on the field. But I doubt any clarity will emerge until later in the year.