Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has opened up on his emotional decision to leave the club in 2023.
The England international made the shock call to swap Merseyside for the Middle East after agreeing an eye-watering salary deal with Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq.
Henderson linked up with fellow ex-Reds captain Steven Gerrard in Riyadh, after the club sanctioned a £12m exit, and the veteran midfielder signed a £350,000-a-week tax-free contract.
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The move brought an end to Henderson's 12 years at Liverpool, where he captained Jurgen Klopp's team to a first-ever Premier League crown in 2020, after winning the UEFA Champions League title n 2019.
The move was heavily criticised by some fans, due to Henderson's previous public advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, and he only lasted six months at Al Ettifaq - before completing a free transfer to Ajax in January 2024.
The switch to Ajax has brought Henderson back into Thomas Tuchel's England plans - after missing out on Euro 2024 under Gareth Southgate - and he looks set to make the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer.
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Jordan Henderson admits post-Liverpool struggles
A late career revival now at Brentford has edged Henderson back into wider focus but the 35-year-old admits leaving Liverpool turned him off football for a time.
"I couldn't watch a lot of games [after leaving], I certainly couldn't watch Liverpool," he told The Athletic.
Offside
"I didn't watch a lot of [the] Premier League. It was tough. I was there for so long and had such an attachment and dedicated a large part of my life there. When I left, I found it really difficult. It felt like a breakup.
"When you have been at a club for so long, you have that attachment, whether you retire or move on. With time, things change and you move on. That was probably the most difficult time."
Henderson has featured in four of England's five World Cup qualifiers under Tuchel in 2025 and the Three Lions could seal qualification with a win in Latvia on October 14.
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