Liverpool had expected former club captain Jordan Henderson to play a significant role in their resurgence this season before his shock move to Saudi Arabia.

Henderson, 33, turned his back on Anfield after a trophy-laden 12-year stay to sign for Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by fellow ex-Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard. The England international has already quit Saudi life in favour of a return to Europe with Dutch giants Ajax, as he completed a move to Amsterdam last Thursday.

His career path could’ve been so different, though, as Henderson had been set to be the leader of Jurgen Klopp’s new-look Reds side dubbed Liverpool 2.0. According to the Daily Mail, senior Anfield figures were convinced that the former Sunderland midfielder would remain a pillar of the club on and off the pitch, despite his performances waining throughout the course of last season.

Henderson was named captain by ex-manager Brendan Rodgers following Gerrard’s departure in the summer of 2015. After Klopp’s arrival just over a year later, Henderson would be at the heart of Liverpool’s greatest period since the 1980s; as they became European champions for the sixth time in 2019 and followed-up that campaign by ending their 30-year wait to lift the English title.

Now Henderson has new ambitions in Holland ahead of his potential debut away to Heracles in the Eredivisie on Saturday. Despite Ajax enduring a dreadful first half of the season, the ex-Reds hero is excited by the prospect of a new challenge, having signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.

“It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world and the biggest club in Holland,” Henderson declared at his unveiling last Friday. “It’s a great challenge for me to play here. I want to help the club and be as successful as possible.”

“I want to showcase myself here and do what I always do: help my teammates improve… Leadership comes in all forms, and in the past, I’ve worked with people who helped me with that. I want to lead by example, both on and off the pitch.”