Jurgen Klopp’s comments on Jordan Henderson resurface amid reports midfielder wants EPL return

• Jordan Henderson is rumoured to want to leave Saudi Arabia
• The midfielder has only made 19 appearances for Al-Ettifaq
• Reports suggest the midfielder is angling towards a Premier League return

Jurgen Klopp all but shut the door on Jordan Henderson’s Liverpool career with comments he made in September 2023 about the midfielder.

Henderson left Liverpool last summer as he joined Saudi Arabia outfit Al-Ettifaq, signing a lucrative contract that sees him earn a whopping £700,000-a-week deal.

The 33-year-old linked up with his former teammate Steven Gerrard, who was given the coaching job at Al-Ettifaq, but things have been far from ideal for the Middle-Eastern club.

With only 19 appearances for the club, Henderson has failed to make the desired impression at Al-Ettifaq. His situation has been made worse by the team’s torrid fun of form that has seen them go on a two-month winless run.

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This has only piled more pressure on Gerrard, who now finds himself in the conversation about possibly getting sacked.

According to The Mirror, Gerrard’s potential departure could also spell the end of Henderson’s short stint with Al-Ettifaq.

Daily Mail further reports that the midfielder has struggled to settle in Saudi Arabia and has yet to get accustomed to the high humidity and heat.

In addition, Al-Ettifaq’s stadium averages 7,800 to 35,000 fans who attend games, and it is a rarity to see the stadium in full capacity during matches. Such conditions have reportedly proved to be uninspiring for Henderson.

What Klopp said about Henderson

While there is a chance Henderson could return to the Premier League, it is highly unlikely he will make an emotional comeback to Liverpool.

After the departures of several players from Anfield in the summer, Klopp completely transformed his midfield, bringing in Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister, according to Transfermarkt.has

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So there is practically no room for Henderson back in the squad. That factor aside Klopp hinted in September that he would always offer Henderson a limited role in the team should the England international have chosen to stay.

Henderson, meanwhile, wanted to play somewhere he felt “valued”.

"Hendo said the truth,” Klopp said at the time. That's how it was. We had talks, I told him I wanted him to stay but we talked about maybe not playing regularly.”

“I love him (Henderson) but he was not great when they didn't play, [James] Milner and Lucas [Leiva] were the same. So we talk about that now."

According to Klopp, Henderson struggled to come to terms with the fact that he would not be a regular first-team player.

There is a growing feeling that the former Liverpool man is willing to take a considerable pay cut and write off millions in tax in Saudi Arabia if it meant returning to the Premier League.

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What is keeping Gerrard from getting sacked

Elsewhere, Sports Brief reported on the one factor keeping Steven Gerrard from getting sacked at Al=Ettifaq.

The 43-year-old was appointed as Al-Ettifaq manager in July 2023, and there was a lot of optimism surrounding the appointment as he brought some big names to the club, including his former teammate, Jordan Henderson.

Moussa Dembele, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Demarai Gray also joined the Saudi Arabian giants, who were expected to be highly competitive in the top flight.