**Brentford**brought in a player with 430 Premier League appearances to his name this summer, and he should help to manage the transition at the club. For new boss Keith Andrews, he is a man whose "big presence" in the midfield is unmissable and should not go "under the radar" for too much longer.
‘He’s shown a real hunger’
Jordan Henderson headed back to England this summer, signing a two-year contract with the Bees.
After half a year in Saudi Arabia and 18 months at Ajax, the veteran is back on familiar territory. He has seen boyhood club **Sunderland**bounce back up to the top flight, but while they have plucked for Granit Xhaka as an experienced head in midfield, he has been a welcome addition in West London.
"He's a big presenc,e as I'm sure people are aware of and know. For what he's done by coming here, he's shown a real hunger to still play at the most elite level in world football, because that's what I think the Premier League is.”
The 35-year-old was not part of the **England**squad to play at the Euros in 2024, but Thomas Tuchel felt his presence was worth reintegrating into the plans this year upon his arrival as the new manager of the Three Lions. This transfer could consolidate his path back into the squad for his country.
"He's been back in the England squad in recent months and has got that goal of the World Cup next summer. I think that's a realistic target for him, with where he's at in this moment in the England squad and being an integral part of what they're trying to do."
The Bees have lost pillars of their project, with Thomas Frank leaving for Tottenham Hotspur after managing more than 300 matches, and club captain Christian Norgaard now at Arsenal. But the team does not have to fall apart, and the arrival of the Englishman should stop that from happening.
"There's been so much narrative around the club losing players,Christian Nørgaard, the captain, being one of those who is someone who I loved working with last year and had huge admiration for.”
Henderson was in the starting eleven as **Brentford**reacted to a 3-1 loss to Nottingham Forest with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at the Gtech Community Stadium. Excellent home form aside from the previous campaign, Andrews would assert that his characteristics conveyed the value of this signing.
"The way he carries himself, his presence on the pitch, his leadership qualities; I think it did go a little bit under the radar. I was very sure he would be the right person to have in that area of the pitch.”