Souness claims Henderson's Saudi Arabia move will 'damage his legacy'

Graeme Souness claims Jordan Henderson’s proposed move to Saudi Arabia will ‘damage his legacy’ at Liverpool

  • Jordan Henderson is closing in a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq
  • Henderson has previously spoken up for LGBT rights during his time at Liverpool
  • Graeme Souness feels he will ‘damage his legacy’ if he goes to Saudi Arabia 

Graeme Souness believes Jordan Henderson’s legacy at Liverpool will take a significant hit if he moves to Saudi Arabia.

Al-Ettifaq have agreed a £12m deal in principle with Liverpool that would see the midfielder move to the Middle East and earn a staggering £700,000-a-week.

Henderson was left out of Liverpool’s pre-season friendly with Karlsruher SC on Wednesday as he edges nearer to the exit door at Anfield.

The 33-year-old has previously spoken up for LGBT rights, but now looks set to live and play in a country where homosexuality is illegal.

The proposed transfer has left a Liverpool LGBT group ‘appalled and concerned’, and Souness admits Henderson must expect criticism if the deal goes through.

Jordan Henderson is edging nearer to a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq

Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and Graeme Souness thinks Henderson will ‘damage his legacy’ if he moves there, having previously spoken up for LGBT rights

‘I think with him [Henderson], as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community and a supporter of Rainbow Laces – and then he ends up going to Saudi, I think without a doubt that will damage his legacy,’ he told Sky Bet.

Henderson has been at Liverpool since 2011, and has led the club through one of the most successful periods in their recent history.

He has won every club trophy available, including the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League the following year.

But the majority of Liverpool fans agree with Souness’s stance on Henderson’s imminent departure.

According to a new YouGov survey, 68 per cent of Red fans believe a switch to Saudi Arabia would undo his previous work with the LGBT community.

That number rises when taking into account all Premier League, with 81 per cent disproving the move.

Henderson is set to join up with former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard at El-Ettifaq, and looks likely to become the latest Reds midfielder to leave this summer.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all left at the end of last season when their contracts expired, while Fabinho is also linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. 

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