Jordan Henderson has agreed with Al Ettifaq to leave the Saudi Pro League club and is close to joining Ajax permanently, according to sources aware of the deal.
The England international and his current squad are in the process of finalizing the termination of the three-year contract he signed last summer to ensure there is no transfer fee associated with the midfielder's departure.
Meanwhile, Henderson is flying back to the UK from Al Ettifaq's winter training camp in Abu Dhabi after agreeing in principle to a move to Ajax.
This proposed move also requires paperwork and details to be sorted out before the 33-year-old former Liverpool midfielder's return to European football is completed after a brief spell in the SPL.
Henderson's departure from Saudi Arabia comes just six months after his move from Anfield.
Henderson ended a 12-year stay at Liverpool to move to Saudi Arabia last July and in September he defended his move after widespread criticism, telling The Athletic in an exclusive interview that he wanted to “achieve something special and build a club and “want to build the league”.
He played 17 times in the SPL and provided four assists for the side captained by his former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard, but left the club midway through his first season.
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Speaking about his move, Henderson said: “I wanted something that would excite me. But it had to be something where I felt like I could add value and do something new and try something new – a new challenge and for different reasons.
“And this opportunity with Stevie (Gerrard) in a completely different league and a completely different culture was something completely different that would perhaps excite us in terms of the project in front of us, in terms of the league and using my skills.” Experience to be able to help in many different areas and the feeling that people value it.
“It’s nice to feel wanted. I know Stevie really wanted me. I know that the club really wanted me to leave and that over the next few years we are trying to build something – something that will last and will be one of the best leagues in the world.”
Last June, Saudi Arabia's Sports Ministry announced that the country's Public Investment Fund (PIF) would take control of four Saudi Pro League teams: Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr. This announcement was followed by numerous high-profile transfers, including Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who joined Henderson in swapping European football for the Gulf state.
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Ajax, meanwhile, struggled for much of 2023. After recording their worst Eredivisie result (third place) since 2008/09 last season, the Amsterdam club started this season in dismal form.
Maurice Steijn managed just 11 games before being sacked in October, with second-bottom Ajax having picked up just five points from their first seven Eredivisie games.
However, under interim coach John van 't Schip, results have improved dramatically. Since his appointment on October 30, Ajax are unbeaten in the league and have moved up to fifth place thanks to seven wins and two draws in nine games – but are still 23 points behind leaders PSV and 11 points behind second-placed Feyenoord, who reach the final occupies qualifying place for the Champions League.
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