Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is set to sign for Brentford on a free transfer, with a medical scheduled for Friday ahead of a two-year deal.
The 35-year-old midfielder left Ajax this week after opting not to extend his stay in the Netherlands. Despite interest from clubs across England and Europe — including Porto, who recently appointed his former Ajax coach Francesco Farioli — Henderson has chosen to return to the Premier League and work under Brentford’s new head coach, Keith Andrews.
This will be Henderson’s third club since leaving Liverpool in 2023. His brief stint at Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia was followed by 18 months in Amsterdam, where he captained Ajax. The Dutch side finished second in the Eredivisie after losing a nine-point lead in the final stretch of the season.
The move sees Henderson reunite with former Liverpool teammate Caoimhin Kelleher, who joined Brentford in June in a deal worth £12 million. He is expected to bolster Brentford’s midfield following the departure of Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal.
According to The Times, Henderson’s decision to return to England could also strengthen his hopes of being selected for the 2026 World Cup. England manager Thomas Tuchel recalled him to the national team in March, and he earned his 84th cap in a qualifier against Andorra.
An official announcement from Brentford may be delayed out of respect for former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who died last week in a car crash in Portugal. Henderson attended Jota’s funeral and laid flowers at Anfield in tribute.
Henderson had been linked with a January move to Monaco following criticism of his form in the Dutch media, but the transfer did not materialise. He now looks set for a new chapter at Brentford as the club reshapes its midfield.
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