Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson has completed his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, with the England international signing a staggering £700,000-per-week deal.
The 33-year-old England midfielder, who signed a three-year contract underwent a medical in Manchester on last Friday ahead of the transfer.
Confirming the news, Liverpool said in a statement: ‘We can confirm Jordan Henderson has completed a transfer to Al-Ettifaq. As his Anfield chapter now comes to a close, everyone at the club wishes to place on record their thanks and gratitude for everything Jordan did for us during his 12 years as a Red.’
Al-Ettifaq also announced the move on their end, writing: ‘A leader. A warrior. We’re simply thrilled to have him. Henderson is ETTIFAQ.’
Henderson bid Liverpool an emotional farewell this week in a lengthy video recorded at the club’s home dressing room, in which he said he would ‘always be a Red’.
He said: ‘I am not sure I have any words to sum up how I am feeling right now. I am in the dressing room for the last time so as you can imagine it’s very emotional,’ he says.
‘But I need to somehow explain what these last 12 years have felt for me and my family. I can still remember that June night back in 2011 clearly, being dead excited but then becoming even more nervous when the move from Sunderland became a reality.
‘It was hard leaving there, I have to be honest. My home town, my club, but when Liverpool come knocking – you don’t say no.
‘I can’t lie. There has been hard times, really hard times, but when I look back at my career at Liverpool, it will always be the good times that I remember – and those good times, again, where do I start?
‘Being made captain of Liverpool Football Club was one of the greatest honours of my life. From the day the armband was passed to me, I did everything I could to behave like a Liverpool captain should. But the biggest honours at Liverpool weren’t personal ones, they were collective.
‘All of us, all of you, together. Starting in Madrid with number six, the most perfect night and probably my favourite night actually. You’ve seen it I’m sure, but with the emotion, it was impossible not to be emotional. But then when we came home, there were no words for that experience. You were everywhere, literally everywhere; in the trees, on roofs, on cars, up lamp posts and even on scaffolding.
‘From the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving us that welcome, not just once, but to do it again even after we lost the Champions League final last year says everything about the club and its supporters – the best in the world, there can be no doubt, there is no doubt.
‘And then bringing number 19 home. We knew as players what ending that wait meant to you. We knew how important it was to make Liverpool champions again.
And that leads me onto Anfield. The most special place in the world to play football, how can anyone think it isn’t? I am sad I won’t have the chance to play at a bigger Anfield, but I know what impact it will have on the opponents.
‘I guess the thing I want to say most of all, is just simply, thank you. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your club. Thank you for your support in good times and bad. Thank you for all the sacrifices and commitments you made and will continue to make to follow us all over the world.
‘Just know that I will always be a red until the day I die. Thank you for everything. You will never walk alone. Jordan.’
He spent the last eight seasons as captain of the club, after succeeding Steven Gerrard as captain in 2015.
Henderson will be reunited with Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, after the Liverpool legend was appointed as manager earlier this month.
Jordan Henderson is now the highest paid England player ever as he will earn more than Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice combined after finalising his £700,000-a-week deal.
