Jurgen Klopp was asked about Jordan Henderson returning to Liverpool and his response is savage
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Jurgen Klopp gave a swift and savage response after being asked about a potential return to Liverpool for Jordan Henderson.
Having been the club’s captain, Henderson left the Reds in the summer and linked up with Steven Gerrard at Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League.
Henderson was one of many high-profile players to make the controversial switch.
But months after the lucrative £12 million transfer, fresh reports claim Henderson wishes to leave and return to the Premier League.
It’s claimed the England international has struggled to adapt to life in Saudi.
After Liverpool’s 2-0 FA Cup third round win over Arsenal, Klopp was asked about the possibility of bringing Henderson back to the club.
But although they have been in contact, the German played down any talk of a second stint for his former skipper.
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Klopp said: “Did Hendo have a press conference and say that? Ahh, it’s just written! That means for me it’s not existing.
“He didn’t call me! We spoke actually, but not about that. So really nothing to say about that.”
After ending his 12-year spell at Liverpool, Henderson has played 19 times for Al Ettifaq, who also signed his ex midfield partner Georginio Wijnaldum.
But the side are in a dire run of form and haven’t won in eight games, with their last victory coming back in October.
Gerrard’s assistant Ian Foster recently left the club to become manager of Plymouth Argyle in the Championship
He is said to have been pivotal in convincing Henderson to play in Saudi, yet the former Sunderland man reportedly told teammates he was weighing up his options ahead of a recent winter break.
Liverpool do have a sell-on clause in Henderson’s contract, though Al Ettifaq would only consider an “incredible offer”.
Henderson is said to be willing to take a hefty pay-cut but a departure would leave him with a huge tax bill.
His wages are only tax-free should he remain in the country for at least two years.
Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Jordan Henderson, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Steven Gerrard
Josh Lawless
Liverpool could receive huge windfall from Jordan Henderson transfer as contract clause emerges
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Liverpool could stand to earn millions if Jordan Henderson completes a transfer away from the Saudi Pro League in January.
Henderson joined Al Ettifaq, who are managed by Reds legend Steven Gerrard, in the summer, bringing an end to his 12-year spell at Anfield.
Initial reports claimed the England captain was set to earn £700,000 a week in Saudi Arabia, but the player himself later confirmed that he was, in fact, earning a far lower amount.
Henderson has been a key player for Gerrard’s side, providing four assists in 17 appearances and managing to keep hold of his place in the England squad.
But it has been far from the perfect first half of the season for Al Ettifaq, who haven’t won a game since October and saw assistant manager Ian Foster leave to become head coach of Championship side Plymouth earlier this week.
Now, according to the Daily Mail, Henderson is ‘desperate’ to make a return to the Premier League, with his struggles in adapting to the country cited as a key reason behind his desire to move on.
It is claimed that Henderson would consider taking a major pay cut to return to the Premier League, although a transfer would also hand him a significant income tax bill as the tax-free part of his contract only applies if the 33-year-old remains in the country for two years.
But while a move would have a major financial impact on Henderson, it would have a positive impact on former club Liverpool.
That’s according to journalist Ben Jacobs, who took to his X (Twitter) account to reveal that the Reds have a ‘quite healthy’ sell-on clause in the event of their former captain sealing a move away from Al Ettifaq.
Jacobs did caution, though, that the Saudi Pro League club will not sell one of their key assets unless they receive a sizable offer.
He continued: “Ettifaq haven’t received any proposals to date, and will only entertain a loan or sale for what is being termed by sources as an ‘incredible offer’.
“Club’s starting point, regardless of Henderson wishing to explore an exit, is he is not for sale this window, and they have not to date been directly informed the England midfielder wants to leave.”
Topics: Jordan Henderson, Liverpool, Premier League, Steven Gerrard, Saudi Pro League, Transfers
Premier League manager responds to rumours he wants to sign Jordan Henderson and save him from Saudi Arabia nightmare
Featured Image Credit: Getty
A Premier League manager has responded to rumours that Jordan Henderson is targeting a return to the English top flight.
During the summer transfer window, then Liverpool captain Henderson ditched the Anfield club as he completed a lucrative move to the Middle East.
The midfielder signed for Saudi Professional League side Al Ettifaq, who are managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Henderso was joined at Al Ettifaq by the likes of Demarai Gray, Moussa Dembele and former Reds teammate Georginio Wijnaldum.
However, on Saturday afternoon, it was reported that Henderson wants to leave Saudi Arabia and return to the Premier League.
Speaking after Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Preston North End in the third round of the FA Cup, Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino was asked about his club’s chances of signing Henderson.
He responded: “We didn’t talk about names. At the moment we are not talking about players.
“I saw [co-owner] Behdad Eghbali with [co-sporting directors] Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.”
Pochettino added: “I think tomorrow we are going to have a chat. We didn’t talk about names or players. For now we are focusing on players like Andrey Santos.”
The Chelsea boss also revealed that three players are closing in on a return from injury.
He said: “We are so close with Ben Chilwell, Benoit Badiashile and Carney Chukwuemeka but we need to see every day the evolution.
“Always the risk is really important and seeing how the players perform in the training session.”
Pochettino continued: “All of the players when they go to the session feel they are ready. If you ask they say, ‘I know myself’ – but 99.9 per cent [of the time] they make a mistake. Our opinion is good to see if they are available or not.”
Chelsea will be back in action on Tuesday night as they take on Middlesbrough in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Topics: Jordan Henderson, Premier League, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Football, Chelsea
Marcus Chan
Jurgen Klopp reveals touching ‘gesture’ Jordan Henderson did for Liverpool squad before leaving
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has paid tribute to Jordan Henderson and has revealed a ‘really nice gesture’ the midfielder did before his move to the Saudi Pro League.
Henderson, 33, has called time on his Liverpool career to join Saudi club Al Ettifaq, who are managed by former Reds captain Steven Gerrard.
The England international is believed to have signed a three-year deal with the Saudi Pro League club, worth a reported £700,000 per week.
He becomes the fifth high-profile departure from Liverpool this summer, following James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita out of Anfield.
A number of Liverpool players have sent messages of support and thanks to Henderson, including international teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool boss Klopp has now reacted to Henderson’s departure, admitting it is ‘absolutely strange’ to see the midfielder leave.
“In the moment, it is absolutely fine but it was already ongoing for a while now, so we had time to adapt to it and get used to it,” Klopp told Liverpool’s website.
“It is football, it is life, it is normal, these kind of things happen. Monday when we arrived back in Liverpool, Hendo was waiting for us to say goodbye properly to the team and to the coaching staff as well, so that was a really nice gesture – a really nice thing to do.
“I know it was a really, really tough decision for Hendo and I was around or with him all the way. It’s sad, absolutely strange, because he is the only captain I had here at Liverpool, but I think it is exciting for him as well.
“We will miss him, without a shadow of a doubt, that’s clear – as a man and as a player. But, as I said, that’s football.”
Henderson won every major club honour as Liverpool captain including the Premier League and Champions League trophies and leaves having made 492 appearances for the club, scoring 33 times.
Confirming his departure on Wednesday, Henderson wrote: “Being made the captain of Liverpool Football Club was one of the greatest honours of my life.
“From the day the armband was passed to me, I did everything I could to behave like a Liverpool captain should. But the biggest honours at Liverpool weren’t personal ones, they were collective. All of us, all of you – together.
“Just know that I will always be a Red. Until the day I die. Thank you for everything. You’ll never walk alone.”
Topics: Liverpool, Football, Jurgen Klopp, Jordan Henderson, Saudi Pro League, Transfers
Jordan Henderson posts emotional farewell to Liverpool fans ahead of move to Al Ettifaq
Featured Image Credit: Twitter @TheAnfieldTalk
Jordan Henderson has posted an emotional farewell message to supporters ahead of his imminent move to Al Ittifaq.
Henderson is on the verge of completing his move to the Saudi Pro League side, having been offered a reported £700,000 per week wage to join the outfit, who are managed by his former Reds teammate Steven Gerrard.
The England international left Liverpool’s pre-season training camp in Germany last Wednesday to undergo medical tests in Manchester.
Henderson has now confirmed he will leave Anfield in a touching goodbye video on Instagram which you can watch below.
Henderson ends a 12-year association with Liverpool to join a side who are winless in their four pre-season friendlies under Gerrard.
However, the move has not come without criticism. The midfielder, who succeeded Gerrard as Liverpool captain eight years ago, has long been one of the LGBTQ+ communities’ strongest allies in the Premier League.
Yet he is moving to a country where being homosexual or transgender remains illegal, and where anyone who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community can be subjected to severe penalties.
Ending the video, Henderson said: “Just know that I will always be a Red until the day I die. Thank you for everything.
“You will never walk alone”.
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