Jordan Henderson is a central midfielder who has achieved glory in the game. He won the Premier League, Champions League, and the FA Cup during his time at Liverpool before he joined Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ettifaq. After deciding to leave El-Ettifaq early into his deal, Henderson joined Ajax, where he’s club captain, but it seems unlikely at this stage that the Englishman will be at the club for the final year of his contract.
Henderson, 34, signed for Ajax in January 2024, with the club going through somewhat of a bad spell at the time. The midfielder was eager to leave the Saudi Pro League, and a switch to the Eredivisie made sense. When he said for Ajax, Henderson put pen to paper on a deal until 2026, but as his playing time is currently being reduced, with the midfielder not a regular starter, it could mean a departure is imminent.
Will Henderson Move Again?
What adds weight to the speculation is that in the January transfer window, there were rumours that Henderson could leave Ajax to join Monaco in Ligue 1, with the French club apparently eager to add an experienced central midfielder to their ranks. While these rumours have been denied, it’s usually a case of there being no smoke without fire, especially as Henderson has come under fire on multiple occasions since joining Ajax for allegedly not meeting the high expectations set upon his arrival.
Anyone know why Jordan Henderson has been left out of Ajax’s Europa League game against Frankfurt?
Is he ineligible or is that internal argument still going on?
— Couch Nish (@CouchNish) March 13, 2025
Expectations were always going to be high when a player of the calibre of Henderson joined Ajax. Liverpool, who are odds on to win the title according to Premier League betting, enjoyed their greatest-ever English top-flight campaign with Henderson as captain, as he led them to their first-ever title of the Premier League era – a feat that club legend Steven Gerrard couldn’t manage. But well into his thirties, maybe Henderson is just not the player of old. So, what’s next?
There is a chance that Henderson does see out his deal with Ajax, especially if he captains them to the Eredivisie title, which certainly looks possible. The former England international has been hailed many times for his leadership qualities and how important he is off the pitch. Even though his playing time is likely to continue to be scaled back, with fewer starts as time goes on, he may get just enough to keep him satisfied for another season, especially if he’s a title winner once again.
There will also be the option of returning home to England and playing in either the Premier League or the Championship. In the top flight, he would likely be a squad player, but one of the newly promoted sides may see his experience as invaluable and just what they need, which could mean he players more than he would if he joined an established Premier League outfit. Alternatively, Henderson could head to the Championship to guarantee more action. Either way, he will be far from done playing, and it will be interesting to see where he kicks off next season.