Jordan Henderson’s hurried exit from Al-Ettifaq just six months into a three-year deal has raised questions about the future of the Saudi Pro League and whether this episode will put players off from making the move to the Middle East.
In essence, when one of the league’s highest-profile signings wants out after 180 days, it should, in theory, be bound to raise alarm bells in the minds of players considering a stint in Saudi Arabia. So, is this the beginning of the end for a league with ambitions of becoming the most watched in world football?
The short answer is probably not.
There are two sides to every story
Henderson isn’t the first and won’t be the last person to decide that they have made a mistake by relocating to a new country. Yes, there is a valid argument about whether six months is a long enough trial period given that most expats will tell you that it took years for them to feel at home in a country that wasn’t their own.
While they may still fight strong bouts of homesickness from time to time, in most cases, the reason these expats stay is that the trade-offs in their new environment outweigh the ones where they used to live. In Henderson’s opinion, this wasn’t the case so he decided to leave.
Whatever the underlying reason behind Henderson’s choice to go, the wider point is that there will be a degree of understanding from most onlookers who know that living abroad isn’t for everyone. Up until his move to Al-Ettifaq in the east of Saudi Arabia, Henderson had only ever lived and worked in the north of England.
Essentially, it’s unlikely that this abrupt departure will be enough to dissuade other well-traveled professionals from joining the Saudi Pro League as many of them have spent their time happily forging careers in various countries.
The Saudi response
Another crucial reason why Henderson’s rapid departure shouldn’t put off other players is that his request to leave was immediately granted and even fast-tracked. The Saudis effectively said that this type of situation is part of life and they understood that he hadn’t settled in the country.
In their view, there was no point in digging their heels in and instead did everything possible to facilitate his desire to leave. In all likelihood, this pragmatic and sensible approach will encourage other players to take the plunge in the knowledge that if they wanted to leave, they would be dealing with people who weren’t unreasonable.
The real damage
The real damage has not been to the Saudi Pro League but rather to the swansong of Henderson’s glittering career. Hindsight is always 20/20 but Henderson will undoubtedly feel some regret about leaving Liverpool for Al-Ettifaq given the way events turned out. The Sunderland-born player was the captain of Liverpool and if he stayed, could have lifted the Premier League trophy this season.
After all, the Reds are at just +250 to win the title and as of mid-January, sit top of the Premier League table. Any fans who feel that Jurgen Klopp’s men will see the job out can access these free bets from betting sites such as BetMGM and Copybet which are offering as much as £40 to new customers spending £10 to be used on the Premier League’s outright market. While it remains to be seen whether Liverpool can keep Manchester City at bay during the season’s finale, the one certainty is that Henderson won’t be there to lead the Reds.
The future
Instead, Henderson will make Amsterdam his new home after moving to Ajax in a deal that will keep him at the club until 2026.
Life, as they say, goes on and the same will be true for the Saudi Pro League which has miraculously, come out of this saga with its reputation more or less intact.