Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is reportedly weighing whether to leave the club and make a shock move to the Saudi Pro League.
According to The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe, Red Devils legend Steven Gerrard is ‘charming’ his former team-mate after taking over as manager at Al-Ettifaq.
Now, Henderson must choose his next step – stay at Anfield or secure an ‘enjoyable payday’ under Gerrard – and a decision will be made ‘shortly’.
READ MORE: Jürgen Klopp just saw the new and improved Gini Wijnaldum as the Liverpool transfer proved right
READ MORE: Levi Colwill comes in, rebuilds – 2 more transfer moves Liverpool complete the perfect transfer window
The prospect of Henderson leaving is worrying for Liverpool. Yes, last season he looked like a fallen player, but he is still an important presence at the club, and the value of leaders and culture-setters should not be underestimated. in elite football teams.
Losing both captain Henderson and former vice-captain James Milner in the same summer could create a huge hole in this respect, a hole that even large expenditures cannot fill.
In theory, the club could simply turn down any offers that come in, but they will certainly feel obliged to accommodate the 33-year-old’s wishes with his enormous contributions. for over a decade.
However, if hope Henderson chooses to stay, it could find an unexpected ally.
The former Sunderland player has won every trophy at club level, but a key international title has eluded him so far.
His last arrival was at Euro 2020, when he played 46 minutes in the final as England lost a heartbreaking penalty shootout to Italy.
However, looking to the next edition of the tournament in 12 months, England are among the favorites and will have a chance to tackle the problem.
The Three Lions are ranked fourth in the world, with World Cup finalists France being the only European team to rank above them.
This looks like Henderson’s last shot to taste glory with his country, as he will turn 36 in the next World Cup, at which point he may have to retire. international competition or is no longer considered.
If he stays at Liverpool, he is likely to be included in Gareth Southgate’s list as the current vice-captain and a mainstay of recent teams.
But if he goes to Saudi Arabia, he could lose his place. Yes, there have been a host of stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté and former Henderson team-mate Roberto Firmino to raise the profile and appeal of the league, but it will take some time. The new league can realize its competitive ambitions. with leading European partners.
To underline how far the league has to go, earlier this year a model found that the league was of inferior quality to England’s third tier. With Gerrard not one of the parties to be taken over by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), any upward trajectory could take longer than that of some of the division’s other clubs.
Henderson will not be playing at the level and intensity needed to secure his place and perhaps more importantly, he will not go unnoticed. It’s hard to imagine Southgate would make trips to Saudi Arabia to track him down.
He must also be wary of the volume of competition for places, and look no further than the under-21 team that just won the European Championship. Liverpool team-mates Curtis Jones, who made up the league’s squad, and Harvey Elliott will likely wait another year for them to develop, while Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey is certainly also a name. worth seeing.
Liverpool will be hoping to make their own enticing debut against Henderson, with Jürgen Klopp likely to secure a key role even after the arrivals of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.
But in the end, it could be lent a decisive hand, if accidentally, by Southgate – and indeed by Jones, who will have Euro ambitions of his own.
#Henderson #considers #Gerrard #Saudi #offer #Liverpool #teammate #decisive