Graeme Souness says he has no issue with Jordan Henderson leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia, reminding fans he did something similar as a player.
Liverpool are set to lose their captain, who will reunite with former Reds teammate Steven Gerrard at Saudi side Al Ettifaq.
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It’s understood Henderson will pocket an eye-watering £700,000-a-week wage but the deal isn’t without controversy.
Moving to a country that criminalises homosexuality, with punishments including the death penalty, has attracted criticism from fans, including the Liverpool LGBTQ+ fan group.
Henderson showing his support to a member of the LGBTQ+ community on social media and expressing his admiration for the Rainbow Laces campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has led to suggestions the England international going to Saudi Arabia is a contradiction of his principles.
Souness admits the previous comments by the 33-year-old will come back to bite him but says Henderson is making the right decision in terms of securing his and his family’s future.
Speaking to talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams, the Liverpool legend said: “Do I have a problem with it? Well, no. I mean, I did exactly that. I went off to play in Italy when I was 31, you know, feeling I’d done all I could have done there. And I went for the dosh.
“I think when you come to the end of your career and you can get a pay day like these boys can get now by going out to Saudi Arabia, I think for the majority of them, they would take that. For some people, it wouldn’t be on.
“I think where Jordan runs into trouble is with his pronouncements in terms of supporting LGBTQ+ cause and also supporting the Rainbow Laces cause in such a very outspoken way and then to be taking the money. I think that’s where he’s going to get criticism.
“He’d have thought about that, I’m sure. These boys don’t go to the loo without consulting someone. He will have had advisers and I would imagine it would be down to him ultimately and he’s decided to go for it.
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“In terms of the money, the money they can offer is incredible. In football, you have a lot of life to live after playing football. So in that respect, he’s made the right decision for both himself and his family.
“But it’s just his statements prior to and during the last World Cup and being very supportive of these causes and that will come back and bite him. People will never forget that.”
Henderson joined Liverpool from Sunderland in a £20million deal in the summer of 2011.
After initially struggling to settle at Anfield, Henderson became a key player for Liverpool and was made captain after Gerrard’s departure in 2015.
As Reds captain Henderson has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Super Cup, Community Shield and Club World Cup.
