Exclusive: Steven Gerrard makes groundbreaking signing as Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson bids emotional farewell

Jordan Henderson, bidding farewell to his Liverpool comrades, is set to be officially unveiled as a player for Al Ettifaq in the near future, most likely before the week concludes.

The contentious move to Saudi Arabia's esteemed Pro League will see Henderson command a transfer fee of approximately £13m, ultimately concluding his impressive 12-year tenure at Anfield. Throughout his illustrious time at Liverpool, he has accumulated an impressive collection of seven prestigious titles.

Seeking clarification on his playing time for the upcoming season, the Liverpool captain, Henderson, engaged in a conversation with Jurgen Klopp before ultimately deciding to leave the club. Following his participation in the Liverpool squad's pre-season training camp in Germany, Henderson did not feature in the opening friendly against Karlsruher and bid farewell to his teammates. He then returned home to undergo a medical examination and finalize his transfer.

The completion of the final legal details for his new Al Ettifaq contract, which is expected to be highly profitable, is anticipated within the next 24 hours. Under the management of Steven Gerrard, a renowned figure in Liverpool's history, the Saudi Pro League team is displaying immense determination to secure the services of the English national. To achieve this, they have put forward a proposal to increase his weekly salary by over threefold, surpassing £200,000.

Liverpool is currently in the process of revamping their midfield, although the process is not yet finished. They have recently acquired Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and they still hold a keen interest in securing the services of Romeo Lavia.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in acquiring Thiago Alcantara, while Liverpool has already granted Fabinho permission to finalize his £40m transfer to Al Ittihad.

Liverpool's LGBTQI+ fans group Kop Outs criticized Henderson's proposed move, expressing their dismay and concern over the thought of him joining a sports washing operation tied to a repressive regime that systematically oppresses women and LGBT+ individuals, and frequently leads the world in terms of death sentences.

In the 2022/23 season, Henderson played in 43 matches for Liverpool and recently celebrated his 12th anniversary with the club. Since joining from Sunderland in 2011, Henderson has achieved great success at Anfield, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, the UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

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