Liverpool Midfield Shakeup: Jordan Henderson Not Playing
As the summer sun shines bright, football clubs worldwide prepare for the new season. Among them, Liverpool stands at a significant crossroads.
Reported by James Pearce in The Athletic, it’s revealed that Liverpool’s talismanic captain, Jordan Henderson, will be missing from the lineup for theinaugural pre-season friendly against Karlsruhe today. The reason? There’s mounting interest in Henderson from Saudi Pro League outfit, Al Ettifaq.
Dom King on Henderson Leaving Liverpool – ‘Not about the money’
Though 33, Henderson’s footballing prowess remains undimmed. It’s murmured he’s already given a nod to a lavish three-year deal with Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq, promising figures nearing £700,000 weekly. However, the clubs have yet to find a middle ground.
While whispers suggest Liverpool might release their captain either on a free transfer or perhaps a cut-price deal, Anfield’s top brass think otherwise. They value their stalwart at a robust £20m, brushing aside any notions of letting him leave for a paltry £10m.
Pre-Season Prep and Potential Transfers
As the clock ticks towards 5.30pm BST, fans eagerly await Liverpool’s clash with Karlsruhe in Germany. Yet, it’s not just Henderson’s absence that has tongues wagging. Midfield dynamo Fabinho too is giving the clash a miss, following a staggering £40million overture from Al Ittihad.
Liverpool aren’t just playing the defensive game. Keen to fortify their midfield, they’ve cast their eyes towards Crystal Palace’s sensation, Cheick Doucoure. This comes on the back of acquiring both Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister earlier this summer.
Further bolstering rumours include potential interests in Southampton’s Lavia, Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips, Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat, and Aston Villa’s Boubacar Kamara.
Lastly, a beacon of hope for Liverpool supporters: midfield prodigies Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, both shining stars of England’s triumphant Under-21 Euros squad, will be converging with Klopp’s men in Germany shortly.
As the new season looms, Liverpool finds itself in a whirlwind of decisions, possibilities, and hopes. Only time will tell how these play out on the grand stage.
