LAST UPDATE | 27 Jul 2023
FORMER ASTON VILLA and Everton midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger has questioned Jordan Henderson’s support for LGBT+ issues after the Liverpool captain made his controversial move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq.
The 41-year-old came out as gay in 2014 and was the highest-profile footballer to do so.
Henderson’s move to the Middle East has been criticised due to his alliance with LGBT+ groups and the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign.
Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death in Saudi Arabia, while the state stands accused of a host of other abuses including placing harsh restrictions on women’s rights and the right to political protest.
“So Jordan Henderson finally gets his move to Saudi Arabia. Fair play to him, he can play wherever he wants to play,” Hitzlsperger posted on social media.
“Curious to know though how the new brand JH will look like. The old one is dead!
“I did believe for a while that his support for the [rainbow emoji] community would be genuine. Silly me…”
Henderson has completed his controversial move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq.
The 33-year-old, who posted a farewell message to Reds fans on Wednesday, brought to an end a 12-year stay at Anfield in which he won every major trophy by finalising a deal with reported wages of up to £700,000-a-week.
Liverpool are due to receive an initial £12 million from the Saudi Pro League club, who posted on social media: “A leader. A warrior. We’re simply thrilled to have him. Henderson is ETTIFAQI.”
Henderson was seen training with his new team-mates at a camp in Croatia in a fan video posted on social media, which will have caused Liverpool some embarrassment even though it was hastily deleted.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp paid tribute to his departing captain.
“I know it was a really, really tough decision for Hendo and I was around or with him all the way,” he told the club’s website.
“It’s sad, absolutely strange, because he is the only captain I had here at Liverpool, but I think it is exciting for him as well.
“We will miss him, without a shadow of a doubt, that’s clear – as a man and as a player. But, as I said, that’s football.”
“You are a legend. I know people say recently we use that word slightly too often, I can tell you, that it’s not in your case.“
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 27, 2023
The boss says goodbye to the skipper @JHenderson ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0QgjshRYTn
The England international will be reunited with former teammate Steven Gerrard who is Al-Ettifaq manager.
However, his move had attracted criticism due to his long-time support of LGBT+ issues and the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign.
“Jordan Henderson is of course free to play for whoever he chooses, but we would urge him to examine Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and be prepared to speak out about human rights violations in the country,” Amnesty’s UK economic affairs director Peter Frankental told the PA news agency last week.
Pride in Football, a network of LGBT+ fan groups, said in a statement: “When you see someone who has been an ally so publicly transfer to a club in a country where LGBT+ people are attacked and imprisoned, it is disappointing.
“Good luck in Saudi Arabia Jordan, but you have lost the respect of so many people who valued you and trusted you.”
Henderson joins a growing list of players moving to Saudi Arabia.
However, one player who will not be heading to the Middle East is Paris St-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, who reportedly refused to meet Al-Hilal officials in Paris on Wednesday after his club accepted what would be a world-record transfer fee of £259 million.
PSG believe Mbappe, who has 12 months left on his contract, has already agreed a free transfer to Real Madrid but their willingness to listen to offers for the 24-year-old has led to speculation linking him to the Premier League.
However, the financial implications of such a move would be beyond almost all the clubs in the top flight.
