'Forgotten' Liverpool captain Henderson deserved Anfield send-off says Carragher

Jordan Henderson completed a controversial move to Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League last summer, leaving Liverpool after 12 years to play under fellow former Reds captain Steven Gerrard. 

He was back in Europe, however, just six months later - joining Ajax in the Eredivisie as his Middle East move disintegrated. 

The £12 million transfer left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans, who pointed out the gap between the 33-year-old’s public pronouncements on LGBTQIA+ causes and the legal status of same-sex relationships in Saudi Arabia. 

Attempts to justify and explain the move fell on deaf ears with the former Sunderland midfielder even being booed during an England match at Wembley. 

His England career now appears at an end after 81 caps, with Gareth Southgate opting not to call him up for Euro 2024. 

Henderson’s club career has also hit the skids, making only nine appearances for Ajax in the Dutch league amid a largely forgettable season for the Amsterdam giants. 

Fellow Liverpool Champions League winner Jamie Carragher regrets Henderson’s ill-advised Saudi move, stating that he deserved a proper Anfield farewell after his years of dedicated service under Jurgen Klopp. 

Henderson was Liverpool captain as the club won the Champions League, Premier League and a host of other honours during Jurgen Klopp’s successful reign but instead of being appreciated by the Kop, he effectively left by the back door. 

“I just want to say this about Jordan, I spoke to him when he made the move to Saudi,” Carragher told The Overlap.

“I spoke to him, gave him my idea and what I thought of it. But sometimes you live and die by your decisions. It’s a little bit like Michael Owen when he went to Real Madrid – you think something good is going to happen. 

“I’m looking at Anfield on Sunday, and it’s not just Jurgen Klopp leaving, it’s Thiago [Alcantara], [Joel] Matip, and they’re getting this big send-off.

“He’s the guy [Jordan Henderson] that’s lifted all the trophies for Liverpool, he’s almost just a little bit forgotten now – he made a bad decision going there [Al-Ettifaq]. 

“I’m not talking about the off the field stuff, I’m talking about the football, he should have stayed at Liverpool, he deserved a send-off. You live and die by your decisions, and it blew up in his face.”