Jürgen Klopp praises ‘underrated’ Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson
Jürgen Klopp has claimed it was a “really, really tough decision” for Jordan Henderson to leave Liverpool for a £700,000-a-week deal in Saudi Arabia after confirmation of the midfielder’s transfer to Al-Ettifaq. Fabinho could soon join his former teammate in the Saudi Pro League after being omitted from Liverpool’s pre-season trip to Singapore.
Henderson posted a farewell to Liverpool supporters on Instagram on Wednesday, after he was filmed training with Steven Gerrard’s squad in Croatia, and his exit was confirmed almost 17 hours later.
Liverpool will receive £12m plus add-ons for the 33-year-old, who has signed a three-year contract, and have a £40m offer from Al-Ittihad for Fabinho. Talks over the Brazilian’s transfer are understood to be close to a resolution and, as such, he was not part of the Liverpool travelling party that left on Thursday for two pre-season friendlies Singapore.
The club plan to make Roméo Lavia their third midfield recruit of the summer and remain in negotiations with Southampton for the 19-year-old. Southampton rejected an initial £37m package this week but Liverpool are expected to return with a £45m proposal.
Henderson exits after 12 highly successful years at Liverpool, eight as captain, during which he won eight trophies. Klopp described it as a career to be proud of, although he believes Henderson’s importance at Liverpool was not truly appreciated.
The Liverpool manager said: “I know, and it is always like this in life, people will only appreciate him properly after he has left. I think he didn’t get the proper appreciation or respect he would have deserved over the years – from some for sure, but not from all. Now he leaves, I would say, not on the highest high because obviously last
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