According to one European journalist, a move to Saudi Arabia for Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson could be ‘very advanced’.
The 33-year-old was first linked with a potential transfer to the Middle Eastern country last week when the Daily Mail reported that new Al-Ettifaq manager Steven Gerrard is targeting a reunion with his former Anfield teammate.
On Monday morning, French outlet L’Equipe also reported of the 43-year-old’s interest in our number 14, claiming that the Saudi club are ‘hoping to convince’ the Reds skipper to make the move, although the player’s response to that apparent interest ‘has not yet been revealed’.
Loic Tanzi, the journalist who penned that article, later followed up with a tweet in relation to the prospective transfer which read (translated from French): “Some sources even announce that the file is very advanced”.
That now makes two credible news outlets to have reported of interest from Gerrard and Al-Ettifaq in Henderson, which may be a concern to some Liverpool fans.
However, even with the riches on offer in the Saudi top flight, and the increasing prevalence of high-profile names within the league (ESPN), it’s very hard to imagine our long-serving captain being tempted to the Middle East just yet.
He still has two years left on his contract at Anfield (Transfermarkt), while as skipper he’s bound to feel a responsibility to provide a guiding hand to his younger teammates, in particular the Reds’ two summer acquisitions Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
A born leader and a priceless figure within the Liverpool dressing room, we fervently hope Henderson stays put on Merseyside for at least the duration of his current deal, rather than becoming the latest name to swap a major European league for the Saudi Arabian pot of gold.
You can see Tanzi’s tweet below, via @Tanziloic on Twitter:
Certaines sources annoncent même que le dossier est très avancé https://t.co/sasvRnZsev
— Loïc Tanzi (@Tanziloic) July 10, 2023
#Ep79 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Dominik Szoboszlai – a mix of De Bruyne/Gerrard/Zidane?