Brentford have confirmed the acquisition of Jordan Henderson on a free transfer from Ajax.

The former Liverpool captain has endured a circuitous career since leaving Merseyside in the summer of 2023. Henderson lasted just six months in Saudi Arabia with Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq before forcing through a move to Ajax.

There were numerous reports claiming that the England international had gotten itchy feet again in January, with talk of a move to Monaco rife. Ultimately, Henderson remained in Amsterdam, wearing the armband as Ajax squandered a nine-point lead at the Eredivisie summit.

Henderson was available as a free agent this summer and Brentford have pounced, handing him a two-year contract. “When we became aware of Jordan’s availability, it was a pretty simple decision,” manager Keith Andrews told the club’s official website.

“We did our due diligence around his recent games to see where he is: he’s still phenomenally fit and he’s still phenomenally motivated to achieve things in the game, having already achieved a lot.

“With the void of experienced players leaving the building—Christian Nørgaard, Mark Flekken and Ben Mee—it was important to replace that.

“We’ve got a pretty young squad, overall, and we’ve got a lot of club experience, which is really important, with the likes of Vitaly Janelt, Mathias Jensen, Ethan Pinnock and Josh Dasilva, who is still at the club doing rehab.

“But what Jordan will bring is that he has been one of the most influential leaders in modern Premier League years. He’s been at the forefront of driving for titles and Champions Leagues at a fantastic football club.

“He also has experience at international level with England and, with that, comes a level of experience, professionalism and dedication to his profession - that’s the exact way we want to be as a football club.

“He will drive standards and be a brilliant addition to the squad.”

The 35-year-old continues to be a fixture of the England national team, appearing in both of Thomas Tuchel’s squads this calendar year, with retaining his spot in the Three Lions setup believed to be his top priority.

READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS AND RUMOURS FROM WORLD SOCCER


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jordan Henderson: Former Liverpool Captain Seals Premier League Return.

Test hyperlink for boilerplate