Two European giants could give Jordan Henderson escape from Saudi Arabia nightmare

Two European heavyweights are reportedly battling it out to rescue former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson from his Saudi Arabian nightmare.

Henderson's decision to swap Liverpool for Al Ettifaq raised plenty of eyebrows last summer, as at 33 he looked to still have a few years playing at the top level left in him.

The England midfielder is earning a reported £700,000 per week in the Saudi Pro League, although he denied that money was the main factor in his decision to move to the Gulf State.

Henderson admitted that he was frustrated with his reduced role in Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool team last season, and that he was excited by the chance to move to an up-and-coming league and play under his former teammate Steven Gerrard.

The midfielder was heavily criticised for his desire to help grow the game in a country with an abysmal human rights record, especially given his past contributions to the fight against homophobia. Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia.

Those who slammed Henderson's decision may feel somewhat smug, as he appears to have had enough of life in Saudi Arabia after just six months.

The 33-year-old has made it clear that he wants to return to Europe, but unlike when he decided to leave Liverpool last summer, there are now at least two top European clubs lining up to try and sign him.

According to reports in the Mirror and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ajax and Juventus will go head-to-head for Henderson's signature.

Both are reportedly willing to take the former Sunderland man on an initial six month loan until the end of the current European season.

Henderson has struggled to adapt to life in the Middle East, but moving to neither Ajax nor Juventus would represent a stroll in the park.

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Ajax have endured one of the worst seasons in their history, and even after rising up the table in recent weeks, still find themselves 26 points behind Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven.

The Dutch side's season has been marred by supporter discontent, making the Johan Cruyff Arena a rather toxic place to play.

Juventus are enjoying a surprisingly good campaign and look to be the only team that could stop Inter Milan from strolling to the Serie A title.

The possibility of a zero-fee loan appeals to the club given their financial struggles of late, but Henderson should be under no illusions about the pressure that comes with playing for the serial winners.

Wherever he ends up, it looks like Henderson's Saudi misadventure is set to come to a premature end.

Topics: Jordan Henderson, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Liverpool, Ajax, Juventus, Steven Gerrard

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a Sports Trends Writer at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He enjoys running, cooking and watching non-league football.

@alex_brotherton