20 July 2023 , 15:04
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Former Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique has defended Jordan Henderson over his proposed big-money move to Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq.
Henderson has accepted a £700,000 per-week contract to play in the Saudi Pro League, with the Reds receiving a £12million fee for the 33-year-old midfielder. However, the England international has received a large amount of backlash from the LGBT+ community and others alike for his decision to move to the Middle East.
Graeme Souness and Steve McManaman have both already slammed Henderson, with the former admitting the transfer will damage his legacy. Meanwhile, McManaman claimed that Henderson should be prepared to lose his spot in the England squad if the move goes through.
Now, Enrique has got involved in the debate. The Spaniard said if Henderson had asked him about his switch to Al-Ettifaq then he would have told the Reds captain to make the move.
Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, Enrique said: "If you asked me to go to Saudi when I was a player I would have said no, but seeing it from outside football it is a life-changing opportunity. I'm not sure exactly how much Henderson will be earning but it is said to be around £40million per year so in one year they're going to be paying him more than he's earned in his whole career.
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"He's won every single trophy with Liverpool, it's true that he may not play for England again, but he has played many games for England, so I would have made the same move. If Henderson asked me directly I would have told him to go."
Henderson has earned 77 caps for England since his debut in 2010, competing in several major tournaments including three World Cups and three European Championships. Although Enrique is unsure whether Henderson will keep a regular space in the Three Lions set-up, he understands why he is making the move.
Jordan Henderson is set to join Al-Ettifaq (Getty Images)Enrique added: "With Henderson going to Saudi, it will be very tough for him to go to the European Championship. It is true that Gareth Southgate has been picking Harry Maguire even when he hasn't been playing for Manchester United, so maybe in that aspect, he would take Henderson anyway if he plays every single game.
"I don't think the Saudi Pro League is competitive enough to take a player from there to the Euros, but with Southgate, you never know. But I definitely think he is risking a lot.
"I think the move has a lot to do with the fee and Liverpool seem happy to be selling him. In my opinion, he has spent 12 years at Liverpool, he’s captained the club, Saudi have offered him a lot of money, and that is why he may be making the move, to make sure him and his family are secure after he retires."