Jordan Henderson set for medical ahead of move to Ajax from Al-Ettifaq – reports

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free

Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

England midfielder Jordan Henderson is expected in Amsterdam on Thursday to finalise his move from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq to Ajax, according to reports.

Former Liverpool captain Henderson, 33, signed for Al-Ettifaq in a lucrative but controversial move last summer as he was a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights during his time at Anfield.

He subsequently apologised for any hurt he caused by moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal but was booed off the pitch at Wembley during a friendly against Australia in October.

Having reportedly reached an agreement with Al-Ettifaq to terminate his contract, Dutch media say Henderson is expected to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Dutch giants.

Henderson is expected to have a medical and formalise the terms of his deal when he arrives in the Netherlands on Thursday, but looks set to take a substantial wage cut from his reported £350,000-a-week package in Saudi Arabia.

However, he is unlikely to be able to feature against RKC Waalwijk on Sunday as reports suggest, as a non-EU national, Henderson’s work permit is likely to take up to two weeks to be granted.

Ajax are fifth in the Eredivisie table, having recovered from a poor start to the new domestic campaign which saw head coach Maurice Steijn depart after just 11 games in charge.

While Henderson is leaving Saudi Arabia, his former Liverpool team-mate and Al-Ettifaq manager Steven Gerrard is set to extend his stay.

The former Reds captain appeared to be under pressure with the side eighth and without a win in eight games but he has reportedly agreed a two-year contract extension which could keep him at the club until 2027.