In an official confirmation on Thursday afternoon, it was revealed that midfielder Jordan Henderson would bid farewell to Liverpool and join Al-Ettifaq.
After an illustrious 12-year tenure with Liverpool, Henderson amassed 492 appearances and played a pivotal role in securing eight prestigious honors for the club. Notably, he captained the team to a Champions League triumph in Madrid and steered them to their first Premier League title in three decades.
As Henderson leaves the club, Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, pays tribute to the significant impact the England international had during his time with the team, stating, “We will miss him.”
Read on for our conversation with the boss…
Jürgen, the news is out that Jordan Henderson is departing Liverpool Football Club. How do you feel about saying goodbye to him?
At the moment, it feels okay, as we’ve been aware of this for some time, allowing us to adjust and get used to the idea. In football and life, such things happen—it’s normal. On Monday, when we returned to Liverpool, Hendo took the time to bid a proper farewell to the team and coaching staff, which was a really nice gesture. I know it was an incredibly tough decision for him, and I supported him throughout the process. It’s sad and somewhat surreal, as he’s been the only captain I’ve had at Liverpool, but I’m sure it’s also an exciting new chapter for him. Without a doubt, we will miss him as both a person and a player. But as I mentioned, that’s just the nature of football.
Can you recall your first impressions of Jordan when you arrived, and how has he evolved since then?
When I arrived, Hendo was nursing an injury. Over the seven-and-a-half years that followed, getting to know him so well, I can only imagine how tough it must have been for him. He was relatively new in his captaincy role, and my arrival disrupted his desire to prove himself on and off the pitch. It was probably a nightmare for him, but he handled it admirably. I remember he once came to my office, asking if he could join the team for the away game against Tottenham. Later on, I learned that such requests from players were quite common in England. At the time, I didn’t quite understand it, thinking he should be resting due to the injury. Now I see that he wanted to show his value to the team, which he might not have been fully convinced of at that moment. However, I believed in him from the start—I knew him from before and admired his qualities as a box-to-box midfielder, his energy, and leadership. It was tough for him initially, but since then, apart from a few injuries, it’s been a remarkable success story.
As Jordan departs, how would you describe his on-pitch qualities and the impact he brought over the years?
Hendo is a complete package—a phenomenal player. He possesses both physical prowess and outstanding technical abilities. Sometimes players in certain roles tend to downplay their technical skills, focusing more on the fighting aspect, but not Henderson. To have such a vast number of Premier League games, captain Liverpool, and participate in the world’s most crucial matches, one must have top-tier technical abilities—and he certainly does. His proficiency with both feet is impressive, and tactically, he’s improved immensely during our time together. He adapted well to different positions, even excelling as a centre-back and playing remarkably in the No.6 role. I must mention our midfield quartet of Fabinho, Hendo, Gini, and Millie—they were all exceptional, forming a perfect unit. Henderson’s contributions were instrumental to its success. He’s scored some fantastic goals, and though there might not have been as many as he’d have liked, they were memorable. I’ll never forget that screamer he unleashed against Chelsea, a true masterpiece. He’s a consummate professional, a great person, and an outstanding player—qualities that allowed him to enjoy such a lengthy and illustrious career at Liverpool.
