Liverpool agree £12m fee in principle for Jordan Henderson to join Al-Ettifaq on £700,000-a-week deal as Reds captain moves closer to Steven Gerrard reunion after missing friendly

Jordan Henderon is set to leave Liverpool’s German training camp to decide whether to move to Saudi Arabia after Al-Ettifaq agreed a £12 million deal.

The Liverpool captain, along with manager Jurgen Klopp, made the decision to sit out his side’s opening friendly against Karlsruher after Al-Ettifaq came back to the table with an offer the Anfield club were happy to accept.

Al-Ettifaq, who does not enjoy financial backing from the Saudi public investment fund like the country’s top four clubs, was initially hesitant to come up with a transfer fee, but after things fizzled over the weekend, they returned with a payment structure that met those requirements. from Liverpool. approval.

As Mail Sport reported last week, Henderson has been offered a contract worth around £700,000 a week but, crucially, he has given Al-Ettifaq – who is managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard – no verbal indication as to whether he will be Ending Premier League career.

It has been a tumultuous two weeks for the 33-year-old, who has spoken with Klopp at length. Obviously some of those discussions revolve around how much playing time he’s likely to get next season and the indications are that he’s dropped down the line at this stage.

Jürgen Klopp’s team left the midfielder out of the squad that took on Karlsruher in pre-season

Steven Gerrard’s side have already agreed terms that would see Henderson earn around £700,000 a week

Klopp is well aware of how difficult Henderson finds being out of the squad and the player is also said to be concerned about what a lack of minutes would mean for his place in England. He has also spoken to Gareth Southgate about how he would see a move to a lower class in Saudi Arabia.

Liverpool’s next game is against German second division side Greuther Furth on Monday, but Henderson, who has been heavily criticized since Al-Ettifaq’s interest became public, will not be involved as he will discuss with his young family over the next few days what he has to do.

This is an important situation for him and Liverpool. Klopp has already allowed a key midfielder in Fabinho to stay at home as he debates a £40 million transfer to Al-Ittihad and the prospect of not having the Brazilian or Henderson around for the season opener at Chelsea is not something he would have thought of.

Apart from that, Al-Hilal has shown interest in Luis Diaz, the flying Colombia international who has been given the number 7 shirt for the new campaign. In Portugal, where Diaz played for Porto, a £50 million fee has been mooted, but Liverpool have no plans to sell him.

What Liverpool need to do from here is buy someone and they have a long list of targets in midfield in the increasing likelihood of Fabinho ending his five-year spell at Merseyside to join former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Trent Alexander-Arnold played 45 minutes of the 4-2 win over Kalrsruher – Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota scored Liverpool’s goals – in Fabinho’s number six, but it would be unrealistic to think he could come straight from right-back to switch. Liverpool are therefore considering a number of options.

They include Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure, Fiorentina captain Sofyan Amrabat – who excelled for Morocco in the World Cup – Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, who has been on Liverpool’s radar for months, and Manchester City presenter Kalvin Phillips.

Phillips is an intriguing option, especially as it has been eight years since Liverpool and Manchester City last began transfer negotiations and it remains to be seen whether last season’s Treble winners would be willing to do business that would help their bitter rivals .

Real Madrid’s outstanding French international Aurelien Tchouameni is still admired by Liverpool – they failed with an attempt to sign him in spring 2022 – but he would be reluctant to leave the Bernabeu as things stand .