Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq earlier this summer, and Brendan Rodgers has defended him.
Jordan Henderson had fallen down the booking order at Liverpool following the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. He needed to leave the club in order to play regularly. But there have been claims that his move to Saudi Arabia has been motivated by money.
Saudi Arabian clubs have been active in the summer, and they have signed a number of players from the Premier League for big money. Henderson recently insisted that his move was not motivated by money, and former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has now leapt to his defence in an interview with talkSPORT.
Rodgers believes that Henderson is at a stage of his career where he has won everything he could have with Liverpool and is looking to pursue a new challenge. He added that Henderson had genuine admiration for Liverpool and maybe that is the reason why he did not join another Premier League club.
The former Liverpool manager added that Henderson decided to take on a new challenge abroad out of respect for Liverpool and people should not be judging him on moral or financial grounds. Rodgers believes that football is a profession for players and they have the right to do what is best for them.
“It’s their profession, it’s their life so they have to do what’s best for them,” the Celtic boss exclusively told talkSPORT before adding, “There’s so many morality officers around the world nowadays that are judging people.”
“But Jordan I know extremely well and I know the love he had for Liverpool. He was at the stage of his career where he probably wasn’t going to be the first name on the team sheet anymore. At 32 years of age, he’s won absolutely everything.”
“He probably fancied a different challenge and out of respect, it probably didn’t feel right for him being at another Premier League club. So to go abroad and take on a new challenge clearly suited him.”
Henderson is not the only Liverpool player who moved to Saudi Arabia earlier this summer. Brazilian international Fabinho completed a move away from the club as well. Mohamed Salah was heavily linked with Al-Ittihad in recent weeks. But it appears that the Saudi Arabian outfit have failed to lure him away from Liverpool.
The Reds will be delighted with the 31-year-old’s decision to stay. Meanwhile, Henderson has been playing regularly in the Saudi League and he will look to make his mark in the Saudi Pro League over the next few years.
