Steven Gerrard Reaffirms Commitment to Al Ettifaq and the Saudi Pro League After Finishing Sixth

With his key player and captain, Jordan Henderson, having terminated his contract in the winter window to return to Europe, Steven Gerrard had reasons to rethink his commitment to the Saudi Pro League. However, the former Liverpool captain and Aston Villa manager signed a contract extension in April, signaling his intention to stay.

With the season over and teams looking to strengthen in preparation for the new season, Steven Gerrard has continued to express his confidence in the direction the Saudi Pro League is taking. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Gerrard said, “The change in this league from 12 months ago, I have felt it. It has improved immensely. If that continues, then I believe this will get closer to the top, and I want to be part of that.” This will be welcome news to the club and the league higher-ups, who hope to continue attracting top talent again this summer.

The exit of a player of Jordan Henderson’s caliber, coupled with his reasons for leaving being that he failed to settle, had caused concerns in some quarters that the Saudi Pro League would be less attractive to players from the European leagues.

While many clubs have reached their foreign player quota, they may need to offload some before they can recruit new ones.

However, this poses no issue for managers like Steven Gerrard. With non-PIF-owned teams also making significant moves in the transfer market, clubs can easily sell or loan surplus players to other teams within the league, showcasing the league’s adaptability and potential to retain and attract talent.