Former Liverpool captain joins Brentford on two-year deal

Jordan Henderson has signed a two-year contract with Premier League side Brentford following his confirmed departure from Ajax.

Photo by Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images

A graduate of Sunderland's academy, Henderson moved to Liverpool in the summer of 2011. Over a decorated 12-year spell at Anfield, he lifted the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

The 35-year-old midfielder joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq in July 2023, linking up with former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard, who manages the club. However, Henderson left the Saudi Pro League just six months later, opting for a fresh start in the Netherlands.

At Ajax, he made 54 appearances over two seasons and was named club captain ahead of the most recent campaign. Under his leadership, Ajax narrowly missed out on the Eredivisie title by just one point. 

He is not the first former Liverpool player to join Brentford in recent years, with Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho arriving last summer, and Caoimhin Kelleher signing earlier in this transfer window.

The former Liverpool star will link up with Brentford's new head coach, Keith Andrews, who has taken on his first managerial role ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Henderson is expected to play a key leadership role both on and off the pitch as the club looks to stabilise and push for a top-half finish following a turbulent summer. Brentford have already seen the departures of long-serving manager Thomas Frank and midfielder Christian Nørgaard, with the potential exits of Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo still looming.