Neil Jones believes that there could be ‘developments’ regarding the potential exit of Jordan Henderson from Liverpool in the next few days.
The 33-year-old has travelled with the Reds’ squad for their pre-season training camp in Germany, but it’s amid the backdrop of a possible move to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
That the captain is with his teammates on the continent, but another exit-linked player in Fabinho isn’t, would suggest that the former’s prospective departure from Anfield isn’t as imminent as the latter’s.
Nonetheless, Jones has said he’s expecting some movement on the Henderson front over the next seven days, writing in his latest Empire of the Kop Substack column: “I think there’ll be developments this week.
“It will be interesting to see, if it’s not done by Wednesday, there’s a friendly match against Karlsruher (we’ll have to see if Henderson plays in that), as there’ll be media at that game, what answer Jurgen Klopp gives to the first question he’ll be asked pre and post-match.
“It’ll be interesting to see whether Jordan speaks out on that. I’d expect things to start moving forward this week on that.”
Jones added that Liverpool are ‘willing to let Al-Ettifaq make an offer’ but have ‘laughed off’ the idea of Steven Gerrard’s side signing him on a free transfer or for a fee in the region of £7m-£10m, instead wanting around £20m for the Reds captain.
That the journalist has hinted at the possibility of Henderson’s proposed move to Saudi Arabia being finalised before Wednesday’s friendly against Karlsruher may suggest that the clock could indeed be ticking on the 33-year-old’s Liverpool career.
Jones is renowned as one of the most trusted sources when it comes to Anfield transfer news, so for him to suggest that developments could be imminent would indicate that we may indeed see significant movement in the coming days.
If the skipper and Fabinho both leave the Reds in the near future, that firmly puts the pressure back on Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke to ensure that the gaps in terms of a midfield leader and an experienced number 6 are plugged before the end of the summer transfer window.
Plenty of names have been floated as potential targets should either or both depart, but completing the process of turning those into Liverpool players before 1 September is an altogether more challenging task.
You’d hope that the club wouldn’t sanction the exits of either Henderson or the Brazilian if they don’t have someone lined up who they’re firmly confident would come in straight away.
The next seven days could be massive not just in terms of the Reds’ transfer window, but the long-term future of Klopp’s midfield.
#Ep80 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Fabinho & Jordan Henderson… going, going, gone?🎙️