Jordan Henderson terminates Al-Ettifaq Contract after Six Months, Agree deal with new Premier League Club

Jordan Henderson has agreed to quit Saudi Pro League team Al Ettifaq after just under six months, according to sources.

Henderson landed in Saudi Arabia shortly after Liverpool star Steven Gerrard was named Al Ettifaq’s manager.

While his stay with the club began well, with Al Ettifaq leading the Saudi Pro League after five games, the team has not won since October 28.

The Daily Mail reported earlier this month that Henderson was ‘desperate’ to stop his Saudi adventure after only six months and return to the Premier League right away.

According to reports, the 33-year-old has’struggled with the heat and humidity’ in the country and is unimpressed by Al Ettifaq’s average attendance of 7,800.

It was even suggested that the former Premier League winning captain might be willing to accept a significant wage reduction in order to go.

According to The Athletic, Henderson has agreed to renounce his contract with Al Ettifaq and join Dutch giants Ajax.

The 33-year-old is presently concluding those arrangements, which means Ajax will not have to pay a transfer fee to bring him to the Johan Cruyff Arena. He is also returning to the UK from his current club’s winter training camp.

Henderson will now look to continue leading Ajax’s resurgence, with the Dutch club presently in fifth place in the Eredivisie after recovering from a disastrous start to the season that had them in the relegation zone for several weeks.

While they are 23 points behind leaders PSV, who have won all 17 games under Peter Bosz, they are 11 points behind second-placed Feyenoord, who hold the second and last automatic Champions League qualifying slot.

A return to the Premier League does not appear to be a realistic option for the 33-year-old, who left Liverpool this summer after a 12-year spell.

He is now prepared to go on a new experience in the Netherlands, where he hopes to be more successful on the pitch than he was at Al Ettifaq.