Jordan Henderson Next Club Odds: Newcastle Favourites To Sign The England Star
Jordan Henderson is keen on a return to the Premier League and the best betting sites have opened a market on where he might end up.
The England international left Liverpool for Saudi Arabia last summer, signing a deal with Al-Ettifaq that is reportedly worth £350,000 per week.
It was a controversial move given Henderson’s previously vocal support for the LGBTQ+ cause, and his attempts to address the issue in an interview with The Athletic did not go down well.
Henderson has not yet lost his place in the England setup since moving to the Middle East, but it is surely a matter of time before he does.
Reports in recent days suggest Henderson is hankering to leave Saudi Arabia as soon as possible.
Where might he end up? Let’s take a look at the contenders to sign him.
Saudi Links Mean Newcastle United Lead The Way
Newcastle United are the 2/1 favourites to land Henderson with football betting sites.
There are two main reasons why the Magpies are considered strong contenders for his signature.
The first concerns Newcastle’s injury crisis. Eddie Howe has been without numerous players on virtually a weekly basis this term, including the suspended Sandro Tonali and the injured Joe Willock.
The 17-year-old Lewis Miley has impressed, but he would not have been used as much as he has if Newcastle had not had so many absentees.
Secondly, the club is owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. That would smooth any potential deal between Newcastle and Al-Ettifaq.
The one main doubt concerns personal allegiance: Henderson is a boyhood Sunderland fan and a former Black Cats player.
Crystal Palace Want Midfielders In January Window
Crystal Palace are in the market for a new midfielder this month. It was an area they were already short in even before Cheick Doucoure was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.
Deploying Chris Richards, a centre-back by trade, in the engine room is not a long-term measure.
Roy Hodgson worked with Henderson when he was in charge of England. He is also a manager who generally prefers experience to youth.
For that reason, it is no surprise to see Palace listed at 5/2. Henderson would have to take a huge wage cut to move to Selhurst Park, but that is likely to be the case wherever he ends up next.
Fulham And Celtic Could Emerge As Candidates
Fulham are available at 3/1 with betting apps. Marco Silva continues to do a fine job at Craven Cottage, keeping his team comfortably clear of the Premier League relegation zone while also leading them into the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.
With Joao Palhinha facing an uncertain future, Henderson could be a decent stop-gap option.
The former Liverpool man came close to joining the Cottagers in 2012, only for him to reject the move in order to give it one more go at Anfield. He could end up in west London 12 years later.
Celtic (5/1) is another potential destination. Henderson has worked with their manager, Brendan Rodgers, before and his vast experience could be useful to the Bhoys.
Liverpool Return An Option - But Still Unlikely
Liverpool did not plan to let Henderson leave last summer, but a £13m offer - and a chance to clear some space in the wage bill - saw them bid goodbye to their former captain.
The move to Saudi Arabia has not worked out for the 33-year-old, however, and he would probably love the chance to pull on the famous red shirt again.
Henderson should not get his hopes up, though. Liverpool have moved on and there would be no benefit in bringing back a player whose best days are behind him.
Henderson would be nothing more than a bit-part figure at Anfield, so odds of 6/1 do not look particularly attractive.
Odds Also Available On Burnley And Brighton
Burnley, Chelsea and Brighton can be backed at 8/1, 10/1 and 12/1 with new betting sites respectively.
Vincent Kompany’s side, who have not been the most streetwise so far this season, are in need of some Premier League experience.
Henderson would certainly give them that, but it is unclear whether a midfielder is even their priority in January. Burnley may look to strengthen at either end of the pitch instead.
Chelsea are always seemingly always looking to strengthen their side these days, and Henderson experience could help bring discipline to a troubled dressing room.
Brighton have signed Adam Lallana and James Milner from Liverpool in recent years. But it is hard to imagine them moving for Henderson after his six months in Saudi Arabia.
* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.
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