Henderson and the club of regrets in Saudi Arabia – 01/12/2024 – Marina Izidro

When Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United for Al-Nassr, at the end of 2022, he kicked off a movement followed by a series of players who would leave Europe in a somewhat unknown direction: the Saudi Arabian league. Months later, names like Karim Benzema, then at Real Madrid, Sadio Mané, at Bayern Munich, N’Golo Kanté, at Chelsea, and of course, Neymar, at PSG, did the same.

Also Jordan Henderson, then Liverpool captain.

The controversy was huge. So he, a respected player, engaged in social causes, defender of LGBTQIA+ rights, going to a country where being homosexual is a crime? So he, who had a lucrative contract with one of the biggest clubs in the world, playing for Al-Etiffaq, in whose matches the average attendance is 5,000 people, less than in most clubs in the English third division?

Henderson denied that he would receive £700,000 per week (equivalent to R$4.3 million), swore that the motivation was not money, but rather the project presented by the club and by another Liverpool idol, Steven Gerrard, who became his coach. He stated that it could be positive to have someone with his vision in a conservative country. And that, at 33, imagining that he would no longer be a starter at Liverpool, he feared losing his place in the England team.

A month after the move, he gave an interview to The Athletic saying he had no regrets and was looking for something that would “excite” him. He played with the team in London in October and was booed. He recorded a video supporting Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup.

In recent days, and just six months after so much controversy, there are strong rumors that the midfielder wants to leave. He wouldn’t have gotten used to the lifestyle and the low level of football. One of his matches had 696 people present in the stands. To make matters worse, Al-Etiffaq hasn’t won in months and is eighth in the national championship table. And, in July, there is the Euro Cup.

Henderson wouldn’t be the only one. English tabloids – not always reliable, although, at the same time, they have journalists with excellent sources – claim that some players were “hating every minute of the Saudi Arabian league” and regretting leaving European football.

Let it be known that Henderson did not speak on the matter. But a way out doesn’t depend on him alone. The club he signed a three-year contract with says he is not for sale or available on loan.

Also according to The Athletic, a return to English football would be difficult because it would be very expensive. Under British tax rules, he would have to pay huge taxes, potentially more than £20 million, if he returned to the UK before April 2025 without a deal with Al-Etiffaq. A transfer to another European country would be a possible solution. Ajax, from the Netherlands, currently appears to be potentially interested in Henderson in this winter transfer window, which closes on February 1st.

It’s not a demerit to play in the Arab league, if that’s your career option, and there are clubs and games with full stadiums. In the next few windows, we will see whether or not this is an isolated case. There is a divide in English sports coverage between those who consider Henderson a hypocrite and those who have empathy, saying that the player knew the consequences and decided to go anyway, but has the right to change his mind if he wants to pay the price – financial and reputational. .

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