Jordan Henderson speaks out on Sunderland as Brentford confirm transfer
Jordan Henderson was linked with a fairytale return to Sunderland after the North East outfit sealed their promotion to the Premier League.
The midfielder departed the Stadium of Light in 2011 and went on to achieve great success at Liverpool before moves to Saudi Arabia and Ajax.
After the 35-year-old left Ajax, speculation mounted that Henderson was set to join Sunderland, but reports were wide of the mark.
Now, the England international is a Brentford player, and he has spoken out on his former employer.
Henderson discusses Sunderland and Liverpool after sealing move
The decision not to pursue Henderson has baffled some Sunderland supporters, who clearly wanted him back on Wearside.
However, the Stadium of Light club have since moved on to other targets and will instead meet him next season.
The 35-year-old was allowed to leave the Amsterdam club on a free transfer, having made 28 Eredivisie appearances last term.
| Jordan Henderson’s 2024/25 Eredivisie statistics | Total |
| Appearances (starts) | 28 (21) |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 4 |
| Touches | 69.2 |
| Accurate passes | 51.7 (87%) |
| Big chances created | 8 |
Now, Henderson has returned to the Premier League as he is eyeing a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
Brentford sold Christian Norgaard to Arsenal and desperately needed leadership again, which they certainly have in the central midfielder.
After signing for the West London club, Henderson addressed what it would be like to face the Black Cats and Liverpool on Brentford’s YouTube channel (15 July).
“Yeah, both clubs mean a lot to me,” he said.
“I’ve obviously come through at Sunderland and played for them in the first team for a couple of years. So, yeah, owe a lot to them for my development as a player.
“When we’re playing against them, there’s no friends – we know that in football, and we’ll be doing everything we can to try and win.”
Henderson snub a tough one to judge for Black Cats
The decision not to pursue Henderson is a difficult one to judge, given there are compelling arguments on either side of the debate.
Henderson certainly possesses experience and leadership qualities that are perhaps missing in the Sunderland dressing room.
However, the 35-year-old does not fit in with the recruitment strategy at the Stadium of Light this summer.
The Black Cats have already acquired the likes of Diarra, Noah Sadiki, and Enzo Le Fee, who are all younger and play the same position.
Furthermore, it cannot be guaranteed that Henderson would have been able to force himself into Regis Le Bris’ side.
Sunderland supporters will watch on with intrigue next season and will hope their club does not regret making a move for their academy product.
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