Jordan Henderson is on the verge of making a return to the Premier League, with the former Liverpool captain set to join Brentford.
The 35-year-old confirmed his decision to leave Ajax this week, having decided against taking up the option to extend his contract with the Dutch club. Henderson made the move to the Eredivisie in January 2024 after a short spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq, and was part of the Ajax side that finished second last season, having surrendered a huge lead at the top of the table to PSV Eindhoven.
Henderson was strongly linked with a move to Monaco earlier this year, although he is now set to make his return to the Premier League, two years after leaving Liverpool.
Various outlets, including The Times, report that Henderson is set to undergo a medical at Brentford today (Friday) before completing a free transfer to the London club.
The midfielder will sign a two-year contract, with an announcement set to wait until next week out of respect for Henderson’s former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota following his death last week.
Henderson laid flowers at Anfield last week in memory of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who also died in the car accident in Spain, before joining a number of his former teammates at the funeral in Gondomar in Portugal.
Jordan Henderson #6 of Ajax looks on during warm up ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between AFC Ajax and Galatasaray A.S. at Johan Cruijff Arena on January 30, 2025 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Jordan Henderson is set to join Brentford after leaving Ajax (Image: Getty Images)
Porto had also hoped to sign Henderson, with new boss Francesco Farioli having been eyeing up a reunion with the England international after working with him at Ajax.
Instead, Henderson will now be reunited with former Liverpool teammate Caoimhin Kelleher after the goalkeeper also made the move to Brentford earlier this summer. Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho will also offer some familiar faces, although the latter has been linked with his own move this summer after struggling to settle in with the Bees last season.
Brentford becomes Henderson’s third club since he left Liverpool in 2023, having decided to leave the club following an overhaul in midfield which saw the additions of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo.
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In a statement after his departure from Ajax was confirmed, Henderson said: "I would like to express my immense gratitude to everyone associated with Ajax. To play for this club was an honour in itself.
"To have the privilege of captaining it was even more so. My only regret is that we didn't deliver more success for the amazing supporters."
Henderson added: "I am fully aware that I owe [Ajax], my team-mates, and the supporters a fuller and more personal thank you. I will, of course, do that when the time feels more appropriate.
"For now, I want to express my appreciation to Ajax once again, as well as everyone I haven't had the chance to speak to in person yesterday, all of you who make this club so special."