Former Liverpool star opens up on 'tough' six months in Saudi Arabia as he completes Ajax move

Jordan Henderson has finally broken his silence following the completion of his mid-season move to Ajax from Al Ettifaq.

Henderson, 33, joined the new Saudi footballing revolution in the summer as he completed a £12m deal from Liverpool. However, despite being given the captain's armband by manager, and former teammate, Steven Gerrard, all has not been well for the former Sunderland midfielder as the club have struggled for form and Henderson has reportedly endured a difficult time both on and off-the-pitch. That's why he has been pushing for a move away after just six months at the club. He was linked with moves to England, Germany and Italy, but he has since completed a move to Ajax.

Following the announcement of his departure from the Middle East, he said, "I’d like to thank the club, the fans and all involved for the opportunity and wish them the best for the remainder of the season," Henderson said in a statement on the club website. "A lot of hard work is going in which I know will pay off in the future." In addition, he sent a message in a post on Instagram, in which he added: "I'm sad to say that I will be leaving Al Ettifaq with immediate effect. It wasn't an easy decision but one that I feel is best for me and my family. I want to take this opportunity to thank the club and the fans for all the support during my time. I really felt the love from day one. I'll keep watching and hoping for your success. Good luck for the future."

He leaves Steven Gerrard's side in eighth place in the Saudi Pro League, having not tasted victory since late October. His departure is likely to be ridiculed by fans given he penned a three-year-deal in the summer and made claims upon his arrival such as he wanted to "achieve something special and build a club and build the league". Speaking to Ajax following his move, he mentioned how the last six months had been tough and that he is excited to begin a new chapter. “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, crazy few days, but I’m just so excited now to be here, to start a new chapter, a new journey in my life and my career and I’m just so excited to be here and part of this club. It's been a tough year for Ajax, both on and off the pitch", Henderson says.

"That's the same for me in the past six months. So, hopefully, we can help each other to move forward and be successful in the near future. Once I knew that there was an opportunity, I was overexcited and really overwhelmed that this opportunity was there for me. It was something that I wanted to try and make happen.”