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Jordan Henderson shows first sign of Saudi Arabia backtrack with fresh ‘money’ remark
Jordan Henderson spoke out in his first TV interview since leaving England for Saudi Arabia in the summer.
England squad train ahead of Italy Euro 2024 qualifier
England midfielder Jordan Henderson has clarified some of the previous comments he made on his controversial summer transfer to Saudi Arabia from Liverpool, now claiming that the financial element did play a role in his decision. The 33-year-old was booed on his first international appearance since leaving for the Middle East and has now given his first TV interview since the move.
Upon leaving Liverpool to join Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, Henderson insisted that the financial aspect of the move was not what motivated him to leave for Saudi Arabia - at a time when he was criticised heavily as a result of his previous affiliation with the LGBTQ+ community.
Henderson met with The Athletic shortly after the dust had settled surrounding his Anfield exit, when the financial aspect of the move was put to the midfielder before quickly being shot down. "That was the hardest thing," Henderson said. "People will see this club come with loads of money and he’s just gone, “Yeah, I’m going.” When in reality that just wasn’t the case at all. People can believe me or not, but in my life and my career, money has never been a motivation. Ever.
"Don’t get me wrong, when you move, the business deal has to be tight. You have to have financials, you have to feel wanted, you have to feel valued. And money is a part of that. But that wasn’t the sole reason. And these possibilities came up before money was even mentioned."
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Now, speaking to Channel 4, Henderson admitted that it was a factor and clarified his position: "I have said that before and I did an interview a few months ago and some of the stuff that I said didn’t come out in the way I thought I said it or how I think that was the truth.
"An example of that would be that, in terms of I didn’t go out there solely for the money, I think that’s a big difference between it’s not a sole reason, rather than saying I didn’t go out there for the money."
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Jordan Henderson on the reaction he's faced since moving to Saudi Arabia#C4Football | #ENGITA | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/jeCh42jL7f
— Channel 4 Sport (@C4Sport) October 17, 2023
When asked if his views on LGBTQ+ had changed after moving to a country where same-sex relationships are criminalised, Henderson replied: "My values have not changed as a person just because I have gone to a different country to play football."
The midfielder admitted that he had "no regrets" over the summer transfer, even though many will feel that his status as a role model has come to an end as a direct result of the move.
"If that’s what people want to think and have the perception of that, then that’s fine," he continued. "I look at it like I said before, I think having someone like myself with the values that I have, in Saudi Arabia is only a good thing.
"Before I went there, people knew the groups that I supported and helped in the past, and not once has it ever been mentioned when I have been going over there that I can’t do this or I can’t say that. It’s never been an issue at all. They know what my values are and they have accepted that and all they ask in return is for me to respect their values, religion and culture as well which I have done."