Former Liverpool and England midfielder Jordan Henderson is leaving Dutch giants Ajax one 12 months earlier than his contract was attributable to expire, the membership introduced on Thursday.
The 35-year-old joined Amsterdam-based Ajax in a blaze of glory in January 2024, solely six months after his transfer from Liverpool to Saudi Arabia sparked controversy over homosexual rights.
An outspoken advocate for the homosexual neighborhood, his switch to Saudi membership Al-Ettifaq had prompted accusations he was placing cash above ideas.
However he rapidly put that controversy behind him, as Ajax appointed him membership captain and he made 57 appearances within the shirt made well-known by the likes of Johan Cruyff and Dennis Bergkamp.
With Henderson because the driving pressure, Ajax bounced again from one in all their worst-ever seasons to problem for the Eredivisie title final 12 months.
Nonetheless, they contrived to throw away the chance to be topped Dutch champions, giving up a nine-point lead with solely 5 matches to play — handing the title to bitter rivals PSV Eindhoven.
Ajax Technical Director Alex Kroes described Henderson as “a real captain for us, each on and off the pitch.”
“By way of his mentality and management qualities, he made a major contribution to our qualification for the UEFA Champions League,” mentioned Kroes.
Henderson’s type for Ajax earned him a shock recall to Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad in March and he voiced his thanks for the alternatives in Amsterdam.
“To play for this membership was an honour in itself. To have the privilege of captaining it was much more so,” he mentioned in an announcement.
He mentioned he wouldn’t be making additional feedback, given the “tragic occasions of final week, and the devastating lack of my former teammate Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.”
Liverpool and Portugal star Jota was killed alongside along with his sibling final week when his automobile sped off a motorway in Spain.
ric/pi
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