Juventus Join Race For Jordan Henderson’s Signature, But Al Ettifaq Not Keen to Let Him Go
Reports in Italy indicate that Juventus is the latest European giant to express an interest in signing Al Ettifaq’s Jordan Henderson. This follows Ajax’s manager John van’t Schip confirming the Eredivisie side’s interest in the former Liverpool captain.
Juventus appear to have made significant progress, having tabled an offer for an 18-month loan deal worth €1.5M per season. The Serie A giants, however, are trying to negotiate a deal with the option to cancel the loan at the end of the season should the club’s plans change or if Henderson fails to gel within the team.
With the string of misfortunes that have befallen Al Ettifaq this season, ranging from resigning directors to poor results on the pitch, the Saudi Pro League side will be keen on stabilizing the team and strengthening in areas of weakness. Losing Henderson is bound to put a dent in those plans, leading Steven Gerrard to start scrambling to seek a replacement for his captain as he also looks to make other signings in the January transfer window.
The consensus among the decision-makers at Juventus is that they will not manage to match Henderson’s Al Ettifaq’s salary. That would mean that his parent club would need to pay part of his wages as he goes on his European adventure. With the Saudi Pro League side reluctant to let their prized player go, it remains to be seen whether they would agree to such a deal given the clear lack of an upside for them.
