Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson bids farewell to his team-mates as he visits his former team-mate Steven Gerrard at Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittifaq.
Jordan Henderson has bid farewell to his Liverpool teammates before joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittifaq - with Jurgen Klopp having drawn up a shortlist of five players to replace his outgoing captain.
Henderson has been offered a £700,000-a-week salary to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittifaq - managed by former Reds team-mate Steven Gerrard. His longtime Anfield team-mate Fabinho is also set to move to the Middle East, joining Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad.
These measures are part of a new strategy by Saudi leaders to bring big names to the country. The Middle Eastern nation's football scene has been making waves since Cristiano Ronaldo was signed by Al-Nassr in January after the Portuguese superstar left Manchester United. England international Henderson left Liverpool's pre-season training camp last Wednesday before undergoing medical tests in Manchester two days later. But with Gerrard's side now in Croatia, Henderson has yet to join his former Reds team-mate and whom he succeeded as captain at Anfield eight years ago.
Henderson is expected to join, who is yet to win after four pre-season friendlies under the Liverpool legend. The 33-year-old will receive a fourfold pay rise when he moves to Saudi Arabia, but not without criticism.
Henderson is considered one of the Premier League's strongest allies for the LGBT+ community, but he is moving to a country where being gay or transgender is still illegal. Anyone who identifies as LGBT+ in Saudi Arabia can face heavy fines.
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He has now left Liverpool to join Gerrard's Al-Ittifaq, with the Mail detailing that the Red Devils have drawn up a five-man shortlist to replace the veteran midfielder - whose future as an England international is also now in doubt.
The Reds have signed Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively this summer, but both are attacking players and Klopp will want to sign at least two more midfielders this summer.
The club have lost midfield trio Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner as free agents this summer, with the departures of Henderson and Fabinho meaning a huge shortage of midfield options.
Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure is greatly admired by Klopp, while the club's continued interest in Ryan Gravenberch has been well documented - the Dutch international has failed to move to Bayern Munich since joining from Ajax a year ago. Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is also on Liverpool's shortlist, but while he has not featured prominently at the Etihad, it remains unclear whether Pep Guardiola will agree to sell him to a direct rival. There is interest in Sofyan Amrabat, but Manchester United's interest in the Morocco international is thought to be higher.
There is still a glimmer of hope that a deal can be agreed for Aurelien Tchouameni - whom they missed last summer at Real Madrid. However, the Spanish giants - who signed Jude Bellingham this summer - are unlikely to agree to let him leave, even if a big offer arrives.
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