Jordan Henderson‘s £12 million departure from Liverpool sees him become only the fourth captain to be sold by the club while in possession of the armband.
A departure for Henderson was not expected earlier this summer but once Steven Gerrard‘s Al Ettifaq came calling, it felt inevitable once a fee could be agreed.
The magic number for the Reds skipper was an eye-watering salary This Is Anfield understands is in the region of £350,000 per week, tax free, and a £12 million fee for the club.
It is an exit that has been met with resistance, not because the captain wished to leave but rather the choice of his destination having become an ally for the LGBTQ+ community.
The move is a legacy-altering one and while he led the team during a great period of success, there is, understandably, a lack of sentimentality throughout the supporter base.
Moreover, his sale makes him only the fourth Liverpool player to be sold while bearing the responsibilities of captain since Emlyn Hughes in 1979.
The revered defender was sold to Wolves for £90,000 in 1979, ending his six-year reign as captain at the age of 31.
Graeme Souness was the next captain to be sold, he left for Sampdoria in a £650,000 deal in 1984 – he was 32 and had worn the armband for three-and-a-half seasons before his departure.
The most recent, before Henderson, was Paul Ince in 1999. The former Man United was told he did not have a future at Anfield and was sold for £1 million to Middlesbrough. He was 31 at the time.
As you can see, there is a lot in common between the four when it comes to their age and the stage of their careers when Liverpool sold them.
Other captains have left on a free transfer after wearing the captain’s armband the season immediately before their departure, they include Phil Neal (1985), Ian Rush (1996), John Barnes (1997) and Jamie Redknapp (2002).
It is an exclusive list that Henderson has now joined.
Fan Comments