Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has signed for Ajax, penning a two-and-half-year deal after his Al-Ettifaq contract was terminated by mutual consent.
The England international will wear the number six shirt after ending his Saudi Arabia stint early. Henderson made the controversial move to the Middle East in July, ending his 12-year association with Liverpool. The Reds skipper faced competition for a midfield position as Jurgen Klopp reinforced his options with the additions of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
As well as the exit of the Englishman, Fabinho made the move to Saudi Arabia which prompted the further Liverpool additions of Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch. And Henderson has had his say on the decision.
“I’d like to thank the club, the fans and all involved for the opportunity and wish them the best for the remainder of the season,” Henderson said in a statement on the club website. “A lot of hard work is going in which I know will pay off in the future.”
In a post on Instagram, Henderson added: “I’m sad to say that I will be leaving Al Ettifaq with immediate effect. It wasn’t an easy decision but one that I feel is best for me and my family.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the club and the fans for all the support during my time. I really felt the love from day one. I’ll keep watching and hoping for your success. Good luck for the future.”
Club president Samer Al Misehal thanked the 33-year-old in a statement, he said: “Firstly, the club would like to thank Jordan for his efforts and wish him the best for his future endeavours.
“We are always respectful of our players. The club and Jordan believe this quick decision, without any delay or further distraction, has been made for both the overall good of the club and for Jordan.
“There is a lot still to play for. But this is a very tough league and the team performances required and expected by the club in the second half of the season under coach Steven Gerrard demand complete unity and commitment from all players and staff, and we look forward to regaining new momentum from this point forward through our winter training camp.”
Henderson joins Ajax with the club looking to turn around their fortunes in the Eredivisie. They have endured a topsy-turvy campaign so far and found themselves rock-bottom in November.
Ugly scenes from home fans marred their derby clash with Feyenoord which forced the game to be abandoned with the Amsterdam club down 3-0. As a result, manager Maurice Steijn was sacked and replaced by John Van’t Schip.
They now sit in the Europa Conference League places, five points off the Europa League spots and 23 points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven. Manager Van’t Schip says Ajax needed immediate cover due to injury and Henderson fits the bill for immediate cover.
He said: “We wanted an experienced midfielder with leadership qualities. Partially due to injuries in the team, we were looking for someone who could step in immediately. Jordan Henderson is that type of player.
“His arrival means a huge enhancement for our squad. Both on and off the pitch, a football player of this calibre is important for our many young players. He’s an English international player and has won the Champions League and many other prizes with Liverpool. I am happy he’s here, and I think it’s very good for our club that he’s an Ajacied from today onwards.”
