Could Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson really leave Anfield this summer?

Jordan Henderson celebrated 10 years as a Liverpool participant final month, but when stories this week are to be believed, the Reds captain might not be round for very for much longer.

There was widespread shock when tales emerged on Monday that Henderson’s future at Anfield is trying more and more unsure. Let’s face it; no one exterior of Liverpool noticed that coming.

The scenario is that this: Henderson has two years remaining on his present contract, signed in 2018, however talks over an extension have gone quiet.

There have been preliminary discussions in direction of the top of final season, however these might be described, at finest, as ‘unsatisfactory’, and as but there was no indication as to when, or certainly if, negotiations will resume.

So we get thus far, the place one report even prompt there’s a very actual risk that Henderson might go away Liverpool this summer time. Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, it’s understood, could be very serious about a deal for the 31-year-old, and so they will not be the one ones.

The thought of a summer time sale has been performed down by sources inside Liverpool, however the truth that this story has even come to mild is telling. Henderson just isn’t anyone who courts headlines, particularly ones equivalent to this, and it’s understood that he and his camp haven’t any downside with something that has been written.

Nor, it needs to be harassed, do Liverpool. The story is on the market as a result of it’s true.

Liverpool, then, discover themselves in a weird scenario, the place their membership captain, the chief of their dressing room and the person who lifted 4 main trophies within the house of 13 months is now considering the prospect of leaving, lower than 4 weeks earlier than the beginning of the brand new marketing campaign.

They’ve already lost one key midfield player in Gini Wijnaldum; they’ll ill-afford to lose one other.

It guarantees to be a busy few months when it comes to contract negotiations at Anfield. In addition to Henderson, Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all see their contracts expire in 2023 and will likely be seeking to renew, whereas Alisson Becker, whose runs till 2024, can be in line for an extension.

That’s a number of work for Michael Edwards, the sporting director, and his staff to get by. Liverpool are eager to retain the majority of their present squad, together with Henderson, however maybe they’ve underestimated their skipper’s need to type out his future swiftly, and to be suitably rewarded for his efforts.

He’ll really feel he’s entitled to that, given his service and the success the membership has loved below his captaincy, successful the Champions League, the Premier League, the UEFA Tremendous Cup and the FIFA Membership World Cup.

Henderson was the Soccer Writers’ Participant of the Yr final season, and stays essentially the most influential participant inside Jurgen Klopp’s first-team dressing room. His staff’s document when he doesn’t play tells you simply how vital he’s on the sector, too.

Nonetheless, he will likely be 33 by the point his contract expires and Liverpool confirmed with Wijnaldum, who left on a free for PSG earlier this summer time, that they don’t seem to be afraid to make ruthless choices in the case of renewals.

Klopp wished desperately to maintain the Dutchman, who was one in every of his vice-captains, however Liverpool weren’t keen to provide Wijnaldum the phrases, and crucially the size of contract, he wished.

It must also not be forgotten that Steven Gerrard, one of many membership’s most iconic gamers, was additionally allowed to go away on a free below house owners Fenway Sports activities Park’s stewardship. Gerrard left for LA Galaxy in 2015, after being left annoyed by what he felt was a token effort from the membership to retain him. He was 34 on the time.

There’s a suspicion, nonetheless, that Liverpool will likely be eager to keep away from a repeat of that scenario with Henderson, who has grown right into a talismanic, Gerrard-esque determine since becoming a member of from Sunderland as a callow 20-year-old in 2011.

He’s now eight video games away from 400 for the membership in all competitions, and remains to be thought-about an integral a part of Klopp’s first XI. Certainly, one of many nice frustrations of final season is that Klopp’s ‘perfect’ midfield, of Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara, was solely seen collectively in a single recreation, away to Everton all the best way again in October.

Liverpool followers will definitely hope to see a bit extra of it this season. No participant is greater than the soccer membership, however the concept of dropping their skipper just isn’t one most Reds want to ponder proper now.

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