Saudi club Al-Ettifaq is coached by Anfield legend Steven Gerrard, whom Henderson replaced as Liverpool captain in 2015.
England and former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has joined Dutch titans Ajax, the club said Thursday, only six months after his move to Saudi Arabia sparked contestation over gay rights. The 33- time-old, who played nearly 500 games for Liverpool, transferred to Al- Ettifaq in July in a deal with reported stipend of over to£ 700,000 ($887,000) per week.” We wanted an educated midfielder with leadership rates. Jordan Henderson is that type of player,” said Ajax trainer John van’t Schip in a statement.
“His appearance means a huge improvement for our team. Both on and off the pitch, a football player of this class is important for our numerous youthful players,” he added.
Saudi club Al- Ettifaq is counseled by Anfield legend Steven Gerrard, whom Henderson replaced as Liverpool captain in 2015.
Saad Allazeez, Vice Chairman and interim CEO of the SPL said the deal suited everyone to resolve ths situation.
“Occasionally despite stylish sweats people do not always acclimate or settle,” said Allazeez.
“Everyone tried and no bone is to condemn,” he added.
But the move to Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is illegal, sparked allegations of insincerity given Henderson’s open support for the LGBT community.
Pride in Football, a network of LGBT addict groups, said at the time” When you see someone who has been an supporter so intimately transfer to a club in a country where LGBT people are attacked and locked , it’s disappointing.”
“Good luck in Saudi Arabia Jordan, but you have lost the respect of so numerous people who valued you and trusted you.”
Former Aston Villa and Stuttgart midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, who came out as gay in 2014, also criticised the move.
“I did believe for a while that his support for the community would be genuine. Silly me.” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Henderson himself said he was hurt by the review and apologised if the gay community felt he was turning his reverse on them.
He said his presence in Saudi Arabia, given his well- publicised views,” is only a positive thing.”
He also said reports about his payment were over-inflated and that he wasn’t motivated by the plutocrat.
Rather, he complained he hadn’t felt” wanted” by Liverpool, who have caught their midfield, and was attracted by a new challenge.
Saudi Arabia’s lavish spending on sport is frequently criticised as” sports washing”– an attempt to shift the focus from its record on mortal rights.
Henderson, who has won 81 caps for England, was one of a phalanx of footballing stars allured to the Saudi league, which offers eye- soddening hires to players and trainers.
French striker Karim Benzema, Brazilian forward Neymar, and Senegal’s Sadio Mane are among those who have followed in the steps of Cristiano Ronaldo to play for Saudi clubs.
The world’s biggest oil painting exporter has thrown hundreds of millions at sports deals including Formula One in Jeddah and the economic LIV Golf stint, drawing frequent claims it’s” sports washing” its mortal rights record.
In football, Manchester City director Pep Guardiola has said the Saudi league has” fully changed the request” and he expects further high- profile players to move there.
For the Dutch side, Henderson will be a precious asset as they seek to recover from the worst launch in their history that left them compactly nethermost of the Eredivisie.
Ajax have endured a horror show of a season that crowned in December in a shock 3- 2 loss to amateur club Hercules in the mug.
Fabian Nagtzaam, director of the club’s sympathizers association, described the Hercules loss as” the topmost debacle in the history of Ajax”, the home of legends like Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp.
Innovated in 1900, Ajax are far and down the most successful club in the Netherlands, with 36 league titles and 20 KNVB Mugs as well as four European crowns.
Maurice Steijn was sacked as trainer in October, paying the price for the platoon’s shocking run of form, with van’t Schip brought in as interim master.
They’ve fought back to fifth, but still stand a humiliating 23 points behind raw leaders and bitter rivals PSV Eindhoven. Know More Latest Football News…
