Jordan Henderson leaves Saudi Arabia after just five months. The former Liverpool captain left Merseyside for the Middle East in July. While a slew of soccer stars have joined the Saudi Pro League, Henderson won complaints about his transfer.
The midfielder previously had strong ties to the Rainbow Laces campaign. The organization helps promote equality and diversity within the sport. Nevertheless, homosexuality is currently illegal in Saudi Arabia. Violators even face the death penalty if found guilty.
Henderson, however, addressed the controversy in an interview in September. The midfielder defended his move to the Middle East and denied that he had done it just to make a lot more money. At the time, rumors circulated that the midfielder was earning more than $800,000 per week at his new club.
Although he defended his decision, Henderson is now said to be willing to pull out of the project. The English foreigner has had a difficult life in Saudi Arabia. As a result, it is open to some other movement in the January moving period.
Fabrizio Romano now claims that Ajax are “showing concrete interest” in Henderson. The playmaking guru claims that several other clubs are also waiting to hear from Al Ettifaq about a decision. The Saudi Arabian side, of course, must be willing to sell the midfielder. to reach an agreement. Henderson has lately had two years left on his lucrative contract with the club.
Ajax is experiencing an uncharacteristically down season, as the club currently sits fifth in the Eredivisie standings. Not only are they a few spots down in the table, but the Dutch giants are also a massive 23 points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven.
The typical Eredivisie team has already lost key players such as Mohammed Kudus, Jurrien Timber and Edson Alvarez in the summer transfer window. Ajax will undoubtedly be looking for reinforcements in the current month to help them save their season.
However, Ajax is the only option for Henderson. The England foreigner would love to return to the Premier League in the coming days. Crystal Palace, Fulham and Newcastle are reportedly in the market for a central midfielder. A possible deal with one of those groups would make sense.
Nevertheless, Henderson would have to take a fairly massive financial hit if he were to soon return to his homeland. Tax laws in the United Kingdom currently state that those leaving the nation for work must pay a 45% fee of what they earned abroad. This stipulation only applies to those away for less than one year. English reports suggest that this tax bill could be nearly $9 million.
Assuming Henderson doesn’t have to pay huge sums, the midfielder will have to look elsewhere. In addition to Ajax, Bundesliga duo Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen have also been linked with the midfielder. A possible move to any of those German clubs would be an exciting proposition. Both clubs continue to compete in European competitions and fight for the Bundesliga title.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.