Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will be regretting his decision to seal a transfer away from the club last summer as he left for a short-lived spell with Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq.
The England international didn’t stay in Saudi Arabia for long, having just joined Ajax in a speedy return to Europe this January, but Neil Jones expects this whole saga will be one that the 33-year-old lives to regret.
Henderson had been a key player for Liverpool, but is now missing out on the successful season the Reds are enjoying under Jurgen Klopp, who has done well to rebuild his midfield even though the likes of Fabinho and James Milner also left at the end of last season.
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have come in and it looks like the future is bright for LFC in that position, but one imagines the club could also have been content to keep Henderson if he hadn’t made the rash decision to quit for Al Ettifaq.
Discussing the whole saga exclusively with CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Jones said: “Ah, the Jordan Henderson situation. The end of an error, you could call it.
“Firstly, good luck to him at Ajax. Not a bad move for him, in terms of football, lifestyle and prestige. The Eredivisie giants may be struggling this season, but they remain one of the game’s great clubs, and they seem understandably delighted to have landed a player of Henderson’s pedigree.
“As for the Saudi Arabian experiment, I’m sure Jordan himself would reflect on that and feel some pangs of regret. He took a big risk, professionally and reputationally, moving to Al Ettifaq, and it didn’t pay off.
“I think a lot of the issues he encountered over there, on and off the field, could have been predicted beforehand, and I think Liverpool’s subsequent success without him has only added to the sense that he took both a hasty decision, and the wrong one, in leaving Anfield.
“Still, that’s football, and Henderson will know that. At least now, he has the chance to start enjoying the game again. I’m sure he’ll relish the challenge in Amsterdam.”