In his first training session with Ajax following his high-profile transfer from Al Ettifaq, Jordan Henderson participated.
The England midfielder recently received his work permit and is now cleared to train. He is a strong contender to start in Saturday’s Eredivisie encounter against Heracles, his new side.
Even though manager John van ‘t Schip hasn’t announced it, everyone was smiling when their new star player tried on the club uniform for the first time.
After inking a two-and-a-half year deal on January 18, Henderson was spotted happy as he made his way to the practise pitch at De Toekomst.
As part of his initiation, he had to run through a tunnel of slaps from his colleagues after displaying some slick abilities.
The controversial 33-year-old previously left the Saudi Pro League after only six months to sign with the four-time European champions and Dutch powerhouses.
Henderson has previously captained Liverpool to unprecedented success from 2011–2023.
The Ajax U18s took the field at De Toekomst after training ended, and they were impressive.
Henderson would have seen a demolition job if he stayed to see Ajax’s match against Liverpool’s U18s, which happened to be his former team.
The new midfielder saw firsthand the remarkable academy at his new club Ajax as they thrashed the youthful Reds 10-0 in a friendly match.
“Just the start” — Virgil van Dijk praises 20-year-old Liverpool duo
Jurgen Klopp has relied heavily on squad depth this season, and the club’s youth have more than met the challenge.
Just as in the first half of the League Cup season, Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley received their fair share of praise in the semi-final.
Only four players in the competition had more recoveries than the latter, and the former set up Luis Diaz’s goal for his third assist of the tournament.
In an interview with Quansah and Sky Sports following Liverpool’s semifinal victory, the captain gave the team another vote of confidence, praising the performance.
“The right-hand side definitely wasn’t the most seasoned team today, but they’ve been great all season,” Van Dijk remarked.
These me𝚗 have my utmost respect. They must also understand that this is just the beginning for them.
Still, it’s encouraging to see them advance to the finals with this performance; it speaks much about their growth. My hope is that they are able to continue.
The club’s youth players will take tremendous pride in their final berth because their achievement benefits not just themselves but the whole team and the organization.
Securing a final berth in just his 16th senior appearance for the club will have been a bit of a pinch me moment for Quansah.
Reaching the final was an incredible experience, according to Quansah. I truly couldn’t ask for anything more. Tonight, we had to persevere. A final has been reached in my first season here, and I couldn’t be happier.You must maintain your beаt; otherwise, you will fail. I was a bit out of practice tonight because it’s been a few weeks since I last played, but hey, that’s just game fatigue.
Since I’ve been playing with Conor for nearly a decade, doing it with him is really significant to me. It was an unforgettable experience to share a pitch with him this evening.
What a great occasion for the two of them and the academy, even though the timing is a bit odd because Bradley only signed with Liverpool in 2021.