Liverpool, which seemed to have completed the renewal of its midfielders, has been forced back into the transfer market once again by the financial power of Saudi Arabia. Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, the latter of whom has received offers from clubs in the Middle East, are expected to move soon.
As for the English midfielder, negotiations with Liverpool, who are demanding £20m for the English midfielder, have been difficult, as Al-Ettifaq had expected to be able to acquire him without a transfer fee.
At the moment, no official offer has been received, and the team is in the process of agreeing on a huge offer with the player’s side.
While Thiago Alcantara also shook his head at the offer from Saudi Arabia, there is a certain segment of the population that does not have a good impression of Henderson, who has agreed to a contract to receive £700,000 per week in wages and money that he does not deserve.
However, Robbie Fowler, himself a coach of Al-Qadsiah FC(Saudi First Division League), said he did not see why soccer players should be denied earning large sums of money, and defended his decision to travel to the Middle East not only for the money but also to prove his ability.
“I’ve never quite understood why footballers’ wages are such a sensitive topic, while the billions earned by financiers are never questioned.
“Let’s get one thing clear though. I’m not going to condemn Jordan, Steven Gerrard or anyone else who has gone to work in Saudi Arabia, or is thinking of doing so. Not because I’m taking the money too – that’s simply not true. As I’ve explained before, I have taken a job in the league below the Saudi Pro League because I am ambitious to become a manager, because I want to prove myself.”
“Obviously I know Jordan well and I grew up with Stevie [Gerrard]. I think Steven is like me – he wants to manage, he wants to prove himself, and after leaving Aston Villa, the right offer simply hasn’t come along. Now he has the backing of a big club, in a league that wants to grow, to become one of the better leagues in the world. It’s a great opportunity for a manager with ambition to get to the top.”
The Mirror