Home/Soccer

It seems like the prayers of Jordan Henderson have been answered. Recent reports indicated that the English midfielder had expressed his desire to return to the Premier League following his brief stint at Al Ettifaq for just over 5 months. And now, PL side Newcastle United is reportedly interested in signing the former Liverpool star.

During July of last year, Henderson made the decision to join the Saudi side in a deal worth $15.3 million. Unfortunately, both he and the team have had a less-than-stellar performance, winning only 6 matches in the league and currently sitting in 8th place with just 25 points at the halfway stage of the season, which is less than half the points of the league leaders. As a result, the 33-year-old now seeks an exit from Al Ettifaq.

Jordan Henderson could join his former club’s rival

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Newcastle United has now become part of the latest development in the story. According to reports from Saudi media, Newcastle United has expressed an interest in acquiring Henderson. This news comes at a time when Newcastle United is facing a shortage of midfielders.

The team’s midfielders Joseph Willock and Elliot Anderson have been sidelined due to injuries. Additionally, midfielder Sandro Tonali is currently serving a 10-month ban from FIFA for violating betting rules. In light of these circumstances, it appears that Newcastle United sees Jordan Henderson as a potential solution to fill these gaps in their roster.

As for the midfielder himself, he is open to any opportunity that would allow him to return to England. Given these developments, it seems likely that Henderson may leave Al Ettifaq and join Newcastle United during the current January transfer window.

However, Newcastle United also stands as a bitter rival to Sunderland, which happens to be the Al Ettifaq star’s first club, adding an interesting dynamic to this possible move. Sunderland are 6th in the Championship and could defintiely use their former player’s help in a bid to push for promotion. Alongside Jordan Henderson, Newcastle United is also interested in acquiring Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Manchester City midfielder remains a target for Newcastle United

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Kalvin Phillips, who had a disappointing spell with Manchester City, appears to be on the verge of leaving. Amidst this, the defensive midfielder has garnered interest from Juventus and Newcastle United too. But, recent reports indicate that Juventus has abandoned their pursuit of Phillips.

Dive Deeper: Ex-Real Madrid Star Agrees to Join Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq- Reports

However, Newcastle United, on the other hand, remains keen on signing him. It will certainly be intriguing to see if Newcastle decides to pursue both Phillips and Jordan Henderson or opt for one of them.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.

WATCH THIS STORY: Ten Times Cristiano Ronaldo Scored Four Goals in a Game