Ex-footballer calls out Jordan Henderson after he completes transfer from Liverpool to Al-Ettifaq
Former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger has criticized former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson for his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq.
Hitzlsperger, who came out as gay in 2014, accused Henderson of betraying the LGBT+ community and abandoning his previous support for their cause. Homosexuality is illegal in the Middle Eastern country.
Henderson spent 12 years at Liverpool and won the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League with them among other honors. He announced his transfer to Al-Ettifaq on social media on Wednesday, July 26.
He will be reunited with his former teammate Steven Gerrard, who is the manager of the Saudi club. Henderson said on Instagram:
“Delighted to announce I’ve signed for Al-Ettifaq. New challenge ahead, can’t wait to get going. Welcome to Saudi Arabia.”
However, Hitzlsperger, who was the sporting director of Stuttgart, expressed his disappointment and disbelief at Henderson’s decision. He tweeted that he was curious to know what the midfielder's brand would look like, implying that Henderson had sold out his principles (via Twitter):
“So Jordan Henderson finally gets his move to Saudi Arabia. Fair play to him, he can play wherever he wants to play. Curious to know though how the new brand JH will look like. The old one is dead!"
He added:
"I did believe for a while that his support for the LGBT+ community would be genuine. Silly me…"
The former Liverpool captain has not responded to Hitzlsperger’s comments yet. He has been an ally and an ambassador for LGBTQ+ supporters in European football, wearing rainbow armbands and laces as a sign of solidarity. He also backed the Football v Homophobia campaign and spoke out against online abuse.
However, his move to Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is punishable by death, has raised questions about his integrity and credibility.
Fabinho’s exit from Liverpool imminent, amid serious Saudi Arabia interest
Liverpool are set to lose another one of their key midfielders this summer as Fabinho is close to joining Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian has been left out of the Reds’ pre-season trip to Singapore, as the two clubs are finalizing the details of a £40 million deal.
Fabinho, who joined Liverpool from Monaco in 2018, missed the recent training camp in Germany after Al-Ittihad made a lucrative offer for his services. However, the transfer was stalled due to a disagreement over the payment terms of the fee.
According to ThisIsAnfield, negotiations have resumed and Fabinho is expected to complete his move to the Saudi Pro League soon.
The 29-year-old will end his five-year spell at Anfield, where he won the Premier League, the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. He made 219 appearances for the club and also contributed 11 goals and 10 assists.
Liverpool are looking to strengthen their midfield options, with Southampton's Romeo Lavia among their targets.
They will, meanwhile, travel to Asia for the second leg of their pre-season preparations, where they will face Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.