Graeme Souness says he has no issue with Jordan Henderson leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia,
reminding fans he did something similar as a player.
Liverpool are set to lose their captain, who will reunite with former Reds teammate Steven Gerrard at Saudi side Al Ettifaq.
It’s understood Henderson will pocket an eye-watering £700,000-a-week wage but the deal isn’t without controversy.
Moving to a country that criminalises homosexuality, with punishments including the death penalty, has attracted criticism
from fans, including the Liverpool LGBTQ+ fan group.
Henderson showing his support to a member of the LGBTQ+ community on social media and expressing his admiration for
the Rainbow Laces campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has led to suggestions the England international going
to Saudi Arabia is a contradiction of his principles.
Souness admits the previous comments by the 33-year-old will come back to bite him but says Henderson is making the
right decision in terms of securing his and his family’s future.
Speaking to talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams, the Liverpool legend said: “Do I have a problem with it? Well, no. I mean, I did
exactly that. I went off to play in Italy when I was 31, you know, feeling I’d done all I could have done there. And I went for
the dosh.
“I think when you come to the end of your career and you can get a pay day like these boys can get now by going out to Saudi
Arabia, I think for the majority of them, they would take that. For some people, it wouldn’t be on.
“I think where Jordan runs into trouble is with his pronouncements in terms of supporting LGBTQ+ cause and also
supporting the Rainbow Laces cause in such a very outspoken way and then to be taking the money. I think that’s where he’s
going to get criticism.
“He’d have thought about that, I’m sure. These boys don’t go to the loo without consulting someone. He will have had
advisers and I would imagine it would be down to him ultimately and he’s decided to go for it.
for the LGBTQ+ movement
“In terms of the money, the money they can offer is incredible. In football, you have a lot of life to live after playing football.
So in that respect, he’s made the right decision for both himself and his family.
“But it’s just his statements prior to and during the last World Cup and being very supportive of these causes and that will
come back and bite him. People will never forget that.”
Henderson joined Liverpool from Sunderland in a £20million deal in the summer of 2011.
After initially struggling to settle at Anfield, Henderson became a key player for Liverpool and was made captain after
Gerrard’s departure in 2015.
As Reds captain Henderson has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Super Cup, Community
Shield and Club World Cup.
READ MORE:
Liverpool: Reds name-checked in Marco Verratti report
The PSG man could be the next part of Liverpool’s midfield rebuild…
Liverpool could reportedly moving behind the scenes to try and sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti this
summer. The Reds are in the middle of a midfield revamp this summer, having already welcomed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
What’s the latest on Marco Verratti to Liverpool?
Liverpool are probably one of the clubs interested in Verratti, according to L’Equipe, via Sport Witness, in what could be the
finishing touch to their new-look midfield.
The Premier League giants aren’t the only side named with an interest in the Italian who earns a reported £238k per-week,
however, with Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, and Atletico Madrid also targeting a move for the Italian. But, when discussing
the interest from England, French sources from the newspaper say it “could be Liverpool”.
As things stand, Verratti’s contract is set to expire in 2026, handing PSG a strong position when it comes to negotiating a
price. It comes as little surprise to see the Reds reportedly interested though, given their current midfield situation.
According to Fabrizio Romano, club captain Jordan Henderson is set to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, linking up with
former teammate and current manager of the side, Steven Gerrard.
On top of that, as per Romano, Fabinho has been the subject of a £40m bid from Al-Ittihad, and looks likely to make the
move this summer, having been left out of Jurgen Klopp’s side’s pre-season squad in Germany.
Should Liverpool sign Marco Verratti?
Swapping Henderson and Fabinho for Verratti would represent an incredibly smart move by Liverpool – the PSG midfielder
is simply a class above the aforementioned duo.
He’s attracted plenty of praise throughout his career, including from current Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who said
back in 2021, via The Football Faithful: “I’m in love with him. He is exceptional. Even under pressure, he manages to find
those passes that allow the midfield to be free.
“He’s not a player for long passes but you can always count on him to build the game. We managed to control him better
in the second half but in the first half he was really exceptional.”
It shows just how good the Italian is when he is drawing praise of that magnitude from one of the best managers of all time.
The statistics only showcase Verratti’s ability even further, too, especially when compared to Henderson and Fabinho.
According to FBref, the PSG star made almost double the amount of progressive passes as Fabinho last season, whilst
making two more than Henderson per 90. It’s clear that he is less wasteful and more incisive on the ball.
Meanwhile, defensively, he would be an upgrade as well, having made more blocks and tackles per 90 than the current
Liverpool duo managed last season.
If Klopp managed to secure the signature of Verratti, the fact is, he’d have completed the much-needed rebuild of his
midfield, with the end product being a trio more than capable of winning the Premier League title, and much more.
Of course, there’s still a long way to go in the summer transfer window, however, and the Reds may look elsewhere for
reinforcements. For now, though, keeping the Italian star as an option wouldn’t exactly be unwise by those making the
decisions at Anfield this summer.
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