Jordan Henderson enjoyed an illustrious 12-year stint with Liverpool following his 2011 move from Sunderland.
The England international made a staggering 492 appearances for the Reds, even taking over the Liverpool captaincy from Steven Gerrard in 2015.
Despite winning Premier League and Champions League medals along the way, Henderson’s time at Anfield wasn’t always plain sailing.
Following his transfer from boyhood club Sunderland, the midfielder initially struggled on Merseyside, with Henderson since revealing that he could have actually left Liverpool in 2012.
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Jordan Henderson claimed Brendan Rodgers almost sold him in 2012
Henderson was famed for his influence on the Liverpool dressing room, but there was actually a time in which his impact wasn’t felt as much.
Having enjoyed a mixed debut campaign under Kenny Dalglish, Henderson failed to impress new boss Brendan Rodgers – so much so that he was nearly sold that summer.
When reflecting on his first few years at Anfield, the midfielder told TNT Sports in 2022, that the club wanted to sell him after Rodgers told him he wasn’t in his plans.
“I can remember it like it was yesterday really. It was just before we played Hearts at Anfield as we had a game on the night. I had a conversation with Brendan in the hotel the day of the game, to be fair to Brendan he sort of gave me the option, it was more of the club that was willing to let me go.
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“Brendan said ‘It’s down to you, you are not going to be starting as much as you would like but I will try and help you improve on the things I need you to improve on, you are still young and if you do that you may get more games as time goes on’.”
“Then I basically went back to my room, cried a little bit and was devastated really but from that moment on there wasn’t really a real opportunity to leave as I hadn’t been at the club very long and I had worked extremely hard to get there. I wasn’t just going to leave.
“I sort of said straight away that I am not going anywhere and I will do everything I can to get in your team and I’ll prove people wrong – that was my mindset. From that moment every day in the gy,m I would give everything, on the training pitch I would give everything, to focus on my self and how I can improve and how I can be better.
“Brendan helped me a lot tactically, which back then I thought I could improve a lot tactically. I was good at box-to-box, I was very physical and decent technically but the tactical elements I hadn’t been taught that much especially what Brendan wanted.
“He brought me in his office, sat me down showed me positioning about where he wanted me without the ball. I felt as if that helped me massively in the game and helped me understand football even more. From that moment on I just grew in confidence as time went on and to be fair to Brendan he did help me a lot through that period.”
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Henderson would prove Rodgers wrong at Liverpool
Despite Rodgers nearly selling Henderson, the midfielder would soon go on to prove his boss wrong and become a mainstay in the Reds team.
The Sunderland academy graduate would go on to make 31 league starts for Rodgers that season – going on to play a key role in Liverpool’s surprise title charge the following campaign.
After Rodgers’ sacking in 2015, Henderson became a key player for Jurgen Klopp – playing an integral role in Liverpool’s success under the German.
Apps Goals Assists
Jordan Henderson’s Liverpool stats 492 33 58
Henderson would eventually leave Liverpool in 2023 in a controversial move to Saudi Arabia, before going on to join Dutch giants Ajax.
The midfielder has since enjoyed a resurgence in the Dutch capital, with Henderson recently receiving an England call-up by new Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.