In an unexpected decision that would cost him millions of pounds in lost income and taxes, Jordan Henderson is keen to rejoin the Premier League. 

After moving for £12 million from Liverpool to Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia last summer, the England midfield star has had difficulty adjusting to his new life. The club will give serious consideration to any offers received this month.

Al Ettifaq’s bad play has made Henderson’s issues worse. As a result, the owners have put pressure on manager Steven Gerrard to turn around the team after a horrendous run of eight straight losses, dating back to November. 

Ian Foster, the assistant manager at the Dammam-based team, quit last week to take over at Plymouth Argyle, another indication of unrest there.

Henderson was persuaded to travel to Saudi Arabia last summer in an unexpected transfer that has not gone as planned by Gerrard and Foster, the former FA employee who started his coaching career at Liverpool’s Academy.

Jordan Henderson is already considering leaving Saudi Arabia, six months after going there

Steven Gerrard is under mounting pressure and he suffered another blow to his plans at Al-Ettifaq with the recruitment of his assistant coach Ian Foster (left) by Plymouth Argyle

The 33-year-old has had difficulty adjusting to a new way of life as well as the intense heat and humidity of the playing field. Additionally, his average attendance of 7,800 per game this season at a stadium with a 35,000 capacity has not been encouraging. 

It has also been hard on him because of the backlash he faced for initially relocating to Saudi Arabia, which has been described as a betrayal of the LGBTQ+ community.

It is believed that Henderson informed his teammates that he was weighing his options before taking a brief vacation during the winter break of the Saudi Professional League. 

If he receives an enticing offer from the Premier League, he would contemplate taking a big pay cut and writing off millions in taxes due to his extreme dissatisfaction; nevertheless, he would have to take a big pay cut because many clubs are finding it difficult to adhere to the top flight’s spending regulations.

Although Henderson gets paid an astounding £700,000 a week at Al Ettifaq, the tax-free portion only kicks in if Henderson stays with the company for the full two years of his contract. 

Returning to England after six months would result in Henderson having to pay about £7 million in taxes because Saudi Arabia has a fixed income tax rate of twenty percent.

This month, Crystal Palace, Fulham, and Newcastle are looking to add a central midfield player; however, as many teams are finding it difficult to adhere to the top flight’s spending limits, he would have to accept a large wage reduction.

The England international joined Al-Ettifaq back in July, where he was reunited with Gerrard

The humidity is troubling Henderson, as well as the level of criticism he has had for the move

Henderson’s chances of being included in Gareth Southgate’s team for this summer’s European Championship would also increase with a return to the Premier League. Although Henderson was jeered by supporters at Wembley during a friendly match against Australia in October, the England boss has stuck with him for this season’s qualifications. However, performing at a higher level would increase Henderson’s chances of qualifying for the tournament in Germany.The Saudi Pro League’s intermission, which ends in the middle of next month, raises questions about Gerrard’s future as Al-Ettifaq’s manager. 13 of the 18 Saudi Pro League clubs have already changed managers this season after an unprecedented £752 million spending binge last summer. Former Premier League players Nuno Espirito Santo, Robbie Fowler, and Igor Biscan have all lost their positions.