Despite leaving the Saudi Pro League, it might be too late for the midfielder to book his spot on the plane to Germany with the Three Lions
And just like that, in a blaze of mediocrity, he was gone. Jordan Henderson, the self-proclaimed saving grace of Saudi Arabian football is scuttling away from the region, heading cap in hand to Ajax as he looks to put his Al-Ettifaq nightmare behind him.
He leaves with his team eighth in the table and with manager Steven Gerrard's job hanging by a thread. But, instead of sticking around and helping the man who secured him his £375,000-per-week salary turn things around, Henderson is fleeing Dammam and heading to the Eredivisie.
As many of his critics predicted at the time, all the claims of him "adding value" and embracing "new challenges" in Saudi Arabia turned out to be complete guff. Henderson has also burned his bridges with the LGBT+ community – and for what? According to reports, he might even end up being out of pocket if he is forced to repay the bonuses he received in the summer, as is expected.
No doubt, Henderson's financially-ruinous decision to cut his Saudi adventure short has been significantly influenced by the looming prospect of missing out on Euro 2024. However, despite significant pressure from the media and fans, Henderson has been very publicly backed by his international manager so far.
GettySouthgate's most trusted lieutenant
As soon as his shock Al-Ettifaq transfer was confirmed, attention turned to how playing in the Saudi Pro League would affect Henderson's place in the England squad.
Throughout Southgate's reign he has never lost faith in the ex-Liverpool captain. No midfielder has earned more caps under the current Three Lions boss than Henderson (46), while only five outfield players (Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, John Stones, Harry Maguire and Harry Kane) have appeared more frequently.
And, even during a testing few months in the second half of 2023, Southgate's commitment never wavered. Quizzed on Henderson's controversial transfer back in August, the England manager issued a bullish response.
"My job is to pick a football team. I don’t think you can pick a football team based on any prejudice about where they might be playing their football," he said "I am a bit lost with some of the questioning. You walk in to talk about a squad for football and we are wading into complex political situations, which I am not really trained to do. We will do the best we can."
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Southgate didn't just support his man with words either. He backed his stance up with actions, starting Henderson in midfield for the first Three Lions match that followed his Al-Ettifaq move.
Ukraine were the opponents in Wroclaw, and he put in a pretty tepid display as England stumbled to a 1-1 draw. Fortunately for Henderson, his performance was helpfully masked by that of Harry Maguire, who endured a nightmarish 90 minutes having previously found his selection called into question due to his much-publicised Manchester United struggles.
There was nowhere for Henderson to hide when England returned to Wembley the following month, though. When the Three Lions faced Australia in London, the midfielder was booed by a significant portion of the home crowd.
Southgate was incensed at full time, saying: "I really don't understand it. He is a player with 79 caps for England. His commitment and what he has delivered for England is exceptional. His role on and off the pitch is phenomenally important."
Henderson himself added: "It's not nice, your own fans, if they were booing. But listen, people have got their own opinions."
The boos subsided – though not entirely – when Italy travelled to Wembley a few days later, but the Australia incident spoke to the ill feeling that exists towards Henderson among some England fans. Many believe his previous vocal support of the LGBT+ community simply does not compute with his decision to join Al-Ettifaq as homosexuality is outlawed in Saudi Arabia. Others were baffled at his continued presence in the side, when the Pro League offers nowhere near the same standard of competition as the top leagues in Europe.
Yet, still Southgate did not buckle, starting Henderson against Malta in November. Again, he hardly put in a vintage display as England limped to a 2-0 victory over the minnows.
Getty ImagesBetter options have emerged
And since that victory, the selection landscape has changed considerably as Southgate searches for a third midfielder to play alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. Trent Alexander-Arnold has long been whispered about as a possible option, but in 2023 he fully emerged as a genuine contender for a starting berth.
In the away game against Malta back in June, he was absolutely unplayable as a shuttling No.8, registering a goal and assist. He was equally impressive when Southgate's side romped to victory over North Macedonia a few days later, while he also earned consecutive starts in midfield during the November international break.
Alexander-Arnold is not the only player turning heads with his displays, either. Although he's not been quite as impressive as his Liverpool counterpart for his country, Conor Gallagher is having a strong season at Chelsea. A rare beacon of maturity in Mauricio Pochettino's dysfunctional Blues, he is capable of playing the deeper role Henderson is usually tasked with for England, as well as bursting forward to support the front line when required. Both he and Alexander-Arnold are surely ahead of the soon-to-be Ajax man in the pecking order now.
Getty Wildcards also in the running
There are several 'wildcard' midfielders who will have Henderson sweating too. None more so than Curtis Jones, who has been absolutely vital to Liverpool's recent winning run. It's taken the academy graduate some time to earn Jurgen Klopp's trust, but he's now one of the first names on the team sheet at Anfield.
Jones' defensive work has improved significantly in recent times. He's always taken care of the ball very well, but he looks fitter than ever this season, earning praise for his pressing and counter-pressing during the Reds' 4-2 victory over Newcastle on New Year's Day.
"We all know how good a player Curtis is, he's technically incredibly skilled, but he finds more and more direction in his dribbling, he gets better out of situations," Klopp said.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Premier League-winner has never received a senior international cap. Keep up his current level of performance and that will surely change when Southgate names his squad for the Brazil and Belgium friendlies in March. The starring role he played in England Under-21s' European Championship victory in the summer – he netted the bizarre winner in the final against Spain – also suggests he might be well suited to tournament football.
And then there's Kalvin Phillips. Selecting Phillips for Euro 2020 was one of Southgate's boldest calls, but in the end it paid off handsomely, with the then-Leeds midfielder winning England's 2021 Player of the Year award.
It's been all downhill since then. A big-money move to Manchester City in summer 2022 proved to be a terrible decision, with Phillips scarcely being handed any minutes since. Much like with Henderson, though, Southgate has stood by Phillips throughout his misery.
And if he can secure a loan move away – a big 'if' at the moment considering the reported finances of any potential Man City exit – and get a run of games, he will likely make the final squad too.