Former Liverpool footballer Jordan Henderson has been told he can leave Saudi Arabia, less than six months after his much-criticised move to play for a club there.
Al-Ettifaq Club, the Saudi Professional League team that controversially signed him last summer, agreed to terminate his contract on Wednesday.
He will return to England to search for a new club, after Al-Ettifaq also said he may leave his winter training camp in Abu Dhabi.
Jordan Henderson and agreement coach Steven Gerrard when he signed for the club in July
Ajax are favorites to sign him, according to Sky Sports News, which said on Monday that the Dutch club are in talks with him and hope to agree a deal this week.
Henderson, 33, was widely criticized for signing for the Saudi club in a £12m deal from Liverpool last July, with a contract worth £700,000 per week.
He went on to play under Steven Gerrard, the former Liverpool captain, who was appointed manager of the agreement last summer.
It has been widely reported that Henderson is struggling to settle into life in the Middle East. He will leave after playing only 19 matches with Al-Ettifaq.
The midfielder has been an outspoken ally of the LGBT community in football and wore rainbow stripes during England's trip to the Euro 2020 final.
He has regularly expressed his support for more inclusivity in the game.
3LionsPride, a fan group for supporters of the LGBT community in England, said it was “very disappointed” when he moved to the Gulf state, where homosexuality is illegal and in some cases punishable by death.
In August, the group condemned Henderson's selection for the England squad, saying his “bank balance may be thriving, but our respect and his legacy off the field are lost – and can never be regained.”
Henderson participated in 491 matches with Liverpool and led the team to win the English Premier League and Champions League titles. He also won the FA Cup and League Cup twice during his time at Anfield.
Following his departure, it is rumored that pressure is mounting on Gerrard as coach to reach an agreement with Jose Mourinho. He was sacked by the Italian Roma this week – To be nominated to replace him.
Al-Ettifaq ranks eighth in the Saudi League with 25 points. Al Hilal, which signed Brazilian striker Neymar in 2023, leads with 53 points.
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Jordan Henderson in agreement after signing for the club
If Henderson signs for Ajax, a club usually known for playing exciting football and competing for the Dutch title, he will be joining a team that is struggling by their usual standards. After a chaotic season, the Amsterdam-based side are fifth in the Eredivisie, 23 points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven.
Several high-profile players, most at the end of their careers, have moved to Saudi Arabia to play in the Saudi Professional League in recent transfer windows, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
