According to reports, Championship leaders Sunderland are looking to re-sign Jordan Henderson, who is struggling for game time at Ajax.
Henderson has been a regular for Ajax in the Europa League this season but has only started twice in the Eredivisie.
He joined the Dutch giants from Al Ettifaq in January, months are controversially leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia.
The 34-year-old reportedly didn’t get paid after playing 19 games in the Middle East and played regularly for Ajax when fit in the second half of 2023/24.
Henderson signed a lucrative three-year deal to play for Al Ettifaq and faced fierce criticism for moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal, having been an LGBTQ+ supporter during his days as Liverpool captain.
After joining Ajax, the England midfielder said: “In life if you want to call them regrets or mistakes, you can call them that. But, at the same time, they’re only mistakes if you don’t learn from them.
“Looking back, at the time, obviously it was a big decision. It was a decision I felt was right for me and my family at the time, but things happen. Things change quickly in football.
“I had to make another decision and this is the one I felt was right decision for me. I felt the opportunity was too big to turn down, playing at this great football club.”
Having fallen down the pecking order in Amsterdam, we could see Henderson return to England – but not in the Premier League.
Sunderland ‘make contact’ over ‘sensational’ Jordan Henderson return
According to Football Insider, Henderson’s former side Sunderland are ‘working on the sensational return’ of the midfielder.
The 34-year-old joined the club when he was eight and made his first team debut in November 2008 when he was 18.
Liverpool signed Henderson from the Black Cats for around £18million in June 2011 after making 79 appearances for his boyhood club.
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The report says Sunderland have ‘made contact’ as they eye a January swoop.
The Championship leaders apparently believe Henderson’s arrival ‘can lead them back to the Premier League’ and are boosted by the fact Ajax ‘will not stand in his way’.
Should Ajax and Sunderland agree a fee, it is believed that the north east club will offer Henderson a six-month contract with the option to extend until 2026.
A return to the Stadium of Light feels pretty unrealistic but can not be ruled out.
Sunderland are currently top of the Championship, ahead of Sheffield United on goal difference.
After beating struggling Luton Town to draw level on points with Regis Le Bris’ side, Blades manager Chris Wilder said: “It’s been a good win for us today, we played well. We kept doing the right things and wore them into submission and I’m delighted with the performance and the result.
“We worked really hard to get Jesurun (Rak-Sakyi) in this summer so I’d like to thank the board for letting me push on that one. He was at his very best today and we want to see more of that.
“The confidence that will give him and the belief, we understand that’s what forward players are there to do but we’re there as a team to win games of football. We’re on a nice little run at the moment.
“You go on that nonsense social media and bits and pieces and ‘nobody’s done this’ or ‘nobody’s done that’, ‘where are we going to get the goals from?’ and all stuff like that. The young boys are finding their way, we have new players finding their way in a new system.
“There’s a lot of big tests coming up, it’s going to be a big month for us.
“It’s sometimes difficult for players when they’re not playing but they can see that they are all a part of it. They want to listen, they want to learn and they want to get better.
“I don’t see how people can compare last season to this season, it’s a completely different team. Different way, different cultures, different personalities this season.”
