Saudi Club terminates ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson’s contract without paying a single penny despite playing 19 games

Jordan Henderson is close to joining Dutch giants, Ajax, after his departure from Al Ettifaq.

Saudi Club terminates ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson’s contract without paying a single penny despite playing 19 games

Jordan Henderson (Image via The Athletic)

Jordan Henderson had left Liverpool in the summer of 2023 to go to Saudi Arabia. He signed for Al Ettifaq, which was managed by a former teammate. He moved to the club thanks to their ludicrous €350k per week wages. 

Six months later, Henderson and his family found it difficult to settle in the country. He played 19 matches for the club but has now decided to move from the country and return to European football. The club, who were understanding of his situation, agreed to terminate his contract. 

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According to the Sun, Henderson also agreed to not be paid his owed salary, meaning he leaves without being paid a single penny for his services. This has been done so that he could avoid paying taxes. According to UK Law, if a resident earns for 90 or more days in another country, the money earned is taxable. So he deferred it to the next calendar year. 

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Many fans criticized his move to Saudi Arabia as they believed he sold his morals. The midfielder is a huge supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, and many of them felt betrayed when he went to play in Saudi Arabia. The country has criminalized homosexuality and there are no legal rights for them. 

Jordan Henderson inches closer to Ajax move 

Ajax have been struggling in the 2023/24 season. They failed to qualify for the Champions League, finished 3rd in their Europa League group and got relegated to the Europa Conference League. In the league, their form is worse, with 5th and 23 points away from the top. 

Henderson wants to come back to Europe
Jordan Henderson wants to return to Europe after moving to the Saudi PL a few months ago. (via Mundo Deportivo)

In attempts to improve their season, they are close to signing Jordan Henderson, who just left Al Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia. The midfielder will apparently earn only €90k per week, which is a huge pay cut but still makes him their highest-paid player. 

The club is aiming to sign him as soon as possible so that he is ready to face RKC Waalwijk on 21st January. The midfielder continues to be an important part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad but is close to losing his spot thanks to the nation’s rising stars. If he manages to put in good performances in the Netherlands, he could prove that he is good enough to start for his nation. 

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