Jordan Henderson stripped of Ajax captaincy as fans and pundits turn on ex-Liverpool skipper | OneFootball

At the start of summer 2023 few could have predicted what the next 18 months would hold for Jordan Henderson, with his career and reputation set to take another turn.

It was reported on Thursday afternoon that the 34-year-old was set to make a move to Monaco which may not seem to controversial but delving a little deeper makes it easy to understand the uproar.

After a failed move to Saudi Arabia, where the England international spent just six months, the reputation of the Liverpool legend took a severe hit but Ajax offered him a chance to restore his legacy.

It was the perfect move for club and player, not taking long before our former No.14 wore the captain’s armband for the Dutch giants.

Yet, he’s now set to move again and as this news broke before de Godenzonen played their Europa League game against Galatasaray – an interesting change was made to the team sheet.

As confirmed by Fabrizio Romano on X: ‘Jordan Henderson starts for Ajax but not as captain tonight… …as he’s close to joining AS Monaco as exclusively revealed today.’

The Dutch media have turned on Jordan Henderson

Picture via @AFCAjax on X

With it being reported in De Telegraaf that our former skipper has offered his current club an ultimatum, let me leave on a free or I won’t play for you again, the bad blood being present isn’t a shock.

The sight of the Sunderland-born midfielder in the team does debunk this theory but being stripped of the captaincy shows there is some truth in the rumours linking him with a move to France.

You can never falter his commitment on the pitch but it’s clear from comments by pundits like Ziggo Sport’s Wesley Sneijder, what those in the country think.

The former Dutch midfielder said (via talkSPORT): “You just play that match with the armband on and then you say, ‘Yeah guys, I don’t know yet.

“Something is going on. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

“Be a man and stand up. Right now you get all this speculation and you create unrest. It could have been much calmer if he had just worn the [captain’s] armband…

“I find it very strange. I don’t think UEFA had even figured it out yet.

“So there must have been some kind of switch at the last moment. That does raise questions.

“I don’t know if we’ll hear an explanation from [Francesco] Farioli [Ajax head coach], because he probably won’t give an answer. But I find it strange.

“I think: if you choose a different captain, you shouldn’t field Henderson either.”

It’s all quite the media whirlwind for a player whose reputation has plummeted inside 18 months of questionable career decisions.

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