One former Liverpool stalwart is reportedly prepared to take a substantial pay cut in order to return to England.
According to the Daily Mail on Saturday afternoon, Jordan Henderson is willing to sacrifice millions of pounds in tax and lost wages to bring a swift end to his unhappy spell in Saudi Arabia, having left the Reds for Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq less than six months ago.
It’s understood that the 33-year-old has struggled to settle in the Middle East and ‘will seriously consider any offers’ for him in the January transfer window.
The former Liverpool captain has also found it tough to acclimatise to the hot and humid playing conditions in which he’s now operating, while the fierce criticism over his move to the Gulf nation – where homosexuality is a criminal offence – has ‘also taken its toll’ on the midfielder.
Having captained Liverpool throughout the memorable Jurgen Klopp era – lifting the Champions League and Premier League, among several other trophies – Henderson looked set to enjoy a glorious legacy at Anfield.
Sadly, his ill-advised move to the Middle East tarnished his reputation massively, not least for reneging on his previous expressions of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
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The Saudi Pro League might be able to offer vast wages, but the dire attendances and mediocre quality of football take away any notions of glamour, and it’s telling that the former Reds skipper seemingly wants out of there so quickly.
Maybe Henderson is worried about losing his place in the England squad ahead of Euro 2024, but even if he’s to return to his homeland – irrespective of whatever club might offer him the escape route he seeks – he could have quite a job on his hands in rebuilding the trust he broke with his transfer to Al-Ettifaq.
For his own sake, we hope that the 33-year-old can restore his reputation after that horrific misstep, although that mightn’t be straightforward.