Jordan Henderson is a target for Ajax; the England midfielder has struggled to settle at Al Ettifaq, but the Saudi club will not sanction a loan move; they want to recoup their initial £12m outlay if an agreement is to be struck in January - meaning only a permanent deal is possible
Monday 15 January 2024 16:14, UK
Ajax are intensifying efforts to sign Jordan Henderson on a permanent deal from Al Ettifaq.
The Saudi Arabian club have said they are not prepared to let Henderson leave on loan, prompting Ajax to consider offers to buy him outright.
Al Ettifaq are yet to give a clear indication as to how much it will cost to do that - but Ajax are hopeful they can strike a deal.
Henderson himself is understood to be unsure as to whether Al Ettifaq will agree to let him go.
With their Eredivisie season in trouble, Ajax - who are 23 points shy of league leaders PSV - need him now to be able to push for European qualification during the remainder of the campaign.
Ajax believe the midfielder can make an immediate impact and give the club a huge lift.
Henderson joined Al Ettifaq - a team managed by Steven Gerrard - from Liverpool in the summer for £12m.
Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan speaking to Sky Sports News live from Amsterdam:
"Initially, Ajax wanted to see if a loan for Jordan Henderson was possible. A big player, maybe not affordable to buy.
"But because of the difficulties getting him out on a loan, Ajax have intensified their efforts. They really want to buy him permanently.
"They're looking at a much longer deal than the 18 months they initially looked at. He's 33, but they feel there's still a good few years left in Henderson.
"Normally £5m is the maximum wage structure for any player joining Ajax, and I've never seen them break the bank before, but they really need to change something in the squad and need to change results.
"They seem prepared to break the bank to pay Henderson a much bigger wage than they've ever paid a player before.
"It's a difficult deal. I think it will rumble on for one or two more weeks before we really know what the club in Saudi Arabia is prepared to do.
"Ajax have everyone prepared to get this deal going. The agent is talking to the player. There are other individuals involved because there are also tax issues at play.
"There is also a bit of prestige in Saudi Arabia. They bought in Henderson as a major coup - a top player with a big trophy cabinet. That kind of player gone after six months would be difficult to accept in Saudi Arabia; they would see this as a loss of image."
The winter transfer window is now open and will close at 11pm in England and midnight in Scotland on Thursday 1 February, 2024.
To ensure harmonisation with the major leagues in Europe, the closing dates were set following discussions with the EFL, DFL, Serie A, LaLiga, and LFP, who will all close their summer and winter windows on 1 September and 1 February respectively.
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms, while you can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News, including daily transfer shows, and listen to our Transfer Talk podcast.
