Former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has been recalled to the England squad by new Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel after leaving Al-Ettifaq and impressing for Ajax
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Jordan Henderson
Jordan Henderson has been recalled to the England squad(Image: Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Jordan Henderson will be hoping to mark his return to England duty after being named in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad. It is almost a year since the experienced midfielder was last selected for the Three Lions.
Henderson fell out of favour soon after his controversial move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq in 2023. He terminated his contract by mutual consent last January and has since joined Dutch giants Ajax. The midfielder has made 39 appearances this term and could win the Eredivisie title.
When asked about his decision to pick the former Liverpool captain, new England boss Thomas Tuchel said : "Jordan is a serial winner. He is captain of Ajax. He is available and has played a lot of matches. What he brings to every team is leadership, character, personality, energy.
"He makes sure that everyone lives by standards and with this characteristic he embodies everything that we try to build,” he added. “We try to build a team for our fans and a team that they are proud of and can identity with. Jordan embodies everything that we want from this team."
Net worth
Henderson has enjoyed a lucrative career after rising through Sunderland ’s academy, earning a big-money move to Liverpool, and succeeding Steven Gerrrard as Liverpool captain. According to Celebritynetworth.com, Henderson is estimated to have earned £19.29million ($25m).
The ex-Reds skipper guided Jurgen Klopp ’s side to Premier League and Champions League glory among other trophies. He was reported to have earned as much as £10million-per-year (£190,000-a-week) during his time at Anfield.
Upon reuniting with Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, it was claimed that Henderson was earning an eye-watering £700,000-a-week. However, the England international disputed those figures in an interview with The Athletic. Dutch outlet De Telegraaf reported that Henderson earns an annual salary of £3.86m (£74,000-a-week) at Ajax.
Jordan Henderson
Jordan Henderson has helped guide Ajax to a six-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie
Family life
Henderson reportedly met his wife Rebecca Burnett when they were teenagers in Sunderland. The couple married in 2014 and Rebecca has largely kept out of the spotlight, though she often supports her husband at games.
They have three children together, with their daughter Alexa being the first to arrive in 2014. A year later, Henderson raced to see the birth of his second daughter Alba ahead of an FA Cup quarter-final win over Blackburn Rovers.
Their son was born in February 2020. The birth came around nine months after Liverpool’s dramatic Champions League semi-final comeback against Barcelona, which Henderson’s team-mate James Milner enjoyed highlighting on social media at the time.
Jordan Henderson
Jordan Henderson made 19 appearances for Al-Ettifaq
Saudi Arabia truth
Henderson may have dismissed the suggestion that he was earning as much as £700,000-a-week at Al-Ettifaq, but the midfielder did admit he was getting “good money” after deciding to leave Liverpool. Despite the scrutiny around his wages, Henderson may not have received much from his short spell in Saudi Arabia.
It was suggested that Henderson’s deal contained a tax exemption clause based on the England midfielder staying in the country for a minimum of two years. Less than six months later, he signed for Ajax, making him ineligible to avoid a 20% flat income tax.
Meanwhile, Henderson had reportedly deferred his wages for tax purposes and agreed to waive any money owed to accelerate his move to Ajax.
Henderson will hope to make his first England appearance since November 2023 when the Three Lions host Albania on Friday. Tuchel's side will continue their World Cup qualifying campaign against Latvia on Monday, March 24.
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