Steven Gerrard, who has been on a free agent since his dismissal from Aston Villa, decided to go to Saudi Arabia last summer. He signed a contract with Al Ettifaq and is eager to improve the team’s strength at the beleaguered club.
He succeeded in persuading Jordan Henderson, an English midfielder who played with him at Liverpool. He also brought in desired players such as Moussa Dembele and Jack Hendry, and at the end of last summer’s transfer market, he also acquired former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.
However, Henderson wanted to return to Europe after only six months, and a move to Ajax was completed. The Athletic reported that Gerrard is already looking ahead and has agreed to a two-year contract extension with Al Ettifaq to lead the club until 2027.
Al Ettifaq has won only about half of the points against strong clubs such as Al Hilal and Al Nassr. In order to strengthen his squad for next season, Gerrard is keeping an eye on Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip, whose contracts with Liverpool are about to expire.
Other targets include Fenerbahce winger Ryan Kent, who once played for Liverpool and led Rangers to an undefeated championship together, who is also actively involved in reinforcements.
There is no guarantee that Gerrard will not be sacked until 2027, but will he be able to achieve his best results in Saudi Arabia and take charge in the Premier League or Europa League again?