Jordan Henderson reveals he felt unwanted at Liverpool before his controversial move to Al-Ittifaq in Saudi Arabia.
Jordan Henderson’s move to Al-Ittifaq in Saudi Arabia attracted criticisms from many sections of the media, society and pundits. For starters, many debated over the finances of the deal, with reports stating the former Liverpool star will earn four times more than his wages.
Then, there were the issues taken up by the LGBTQ community, of which Henderson had been a strong advocate, including his unwavering support for the Rainbow Laces campaign. Community members have questioned his wisdom in joining the Saui Pro League, as the country does not support their beliefs, and being part of the group is a punishable offence.
Then, many others questioned about leaving the footballing competition for money. Now, in a detailed interview featured on The Athletic with journalists Adam Crafton and David Ornstein, Henderson has opened up on several things related to his move to Saudi Arabia.
While he refuted the notion of the reported salary figures, the former Liverpool star also claimed he felt unwanted at the club. In a detailed interview segment, the ex-Reds captain told The Athletic about what transpired in the background at Merseyside and how he decided to leave for Saudi side Al-Ittifaq.
🚨 JORDAN HENDERSON SPEAKS 🚨
◾️ “Did not feel wanted” at Liverpool
◾️ Saudi move “not money motivated”
◾️ “Sorry” for LGBTQ+ hurt
◾️ Wants to “respect religion/culture”
◾️ Feels can make “positive change”
🤝 W/ @AdamCrafton_ @TheAthleticFC#SPL #LFC #ENG https://t.co/xPjRjQM46P— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) September 5, 2023
David Ornstein asked about what happened at Liverpool and how the midfielder decided to join Al-Ittifaq. Henderson replied, “There were a few things that sent alarm bells ringing. I’ve got a very good relationship with Jurgen. He was very honest with me. It put me in a position where I knew that I wasn’t going to be playing as much. I knew there were going to be new players coming in my position.”
“And if I’m not playing, as anybody will know, especially the manager, that can be quite difficult for me and especially when I’ve been at a club for so long, I’ve captained the team for so long. Especially when England’s a big thing for me. You’ve got the Euros coming up.”
“And then there was an approach from Al Ettifaq to the club to see if it would be possible for me to go there. The reaction from the club again wasn’t to say no. At that moment, I felt as though my value or the want for me to stay, with the manager and within the club, maybe it had shifted.”
“I’ve got very good relationships with Jurgen, with the owners of the club. That’ll be forever. What we’ve achieved together in the past 12 years has been incredible. But at the same time, it was hard for me to take that.”
When Adam Crafton pushed on the issue and asked whether he did not want to fight for his place, Henderson replied, “If one of those people said to me, “Now we want you to stay”, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“And I have to then think about what’s next for me in my career. Now, that’s not to say that they forced me out of the club or they were saying they wanted me to leave, but at no point did I feel wanted by the club or anyone to stay.”
The story has a different side, as Henderson revealed many things about his move to Saudi during his interview. The above part was just one of the many things the former Liverpool star indicated.
