Liverpool have reportedly given the green light for the sale of
midfield duo Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabia.
Fabinho has been left out of Liverpool’s squad for the pre-season camp in Germany after learning of interest from Saudi Pro-League champions Al-Ittihad.
According to a recent report, the 29-year-old Brazil international has agreed personal terms with Al-Ittihad who have made a £40m bid to Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Liverpool captain Henderson has attracted interest from Al-Ettifaq, who are now managed by Reds legend Steven Gerrard.
The 33-year-old has been included in Jurgen Klopp’s squad for the pre-season trip to Germany but the midfielder has reportedly reached a verbal agreement to travel to the Middle East.
According to Football Insider, the sale of Fabinho and Henderson is imminent and Liverpool expect both players to officially leave the club this week after completing their medicals.
While the Reds are set to recoup £40 million from Al-Ittihad for Fabinho, Henderson’s valuation has yet to be revealed. However, the report states that the England international has accepted a whopping £700,000-a-week salary to join Al-Ettifaq on a two-year deal.
It is understood that Liverpool will not let Henderson come cheap and could demand up to £20million for the midfielder, whose contract at Anfield still remains two years.
Henderson joined Liverpool from youth club Sunderland in 2011 and played alongside Gerrard for three and a half seasons before ending his storied career at Anfield and joining the Los Angeles Galaxy in January 2015.
The midfielder, who was named Liverpool captain following Gerrard’s departure, recorded 33 goals and 61 assists in 492 games for the Reds across all tournaments and won eight trophies including the Premier League and Champions League.
Fabinho, meanwhile, joined Anfield from Monaco for £43.7m in the summer of 2018 and has since established himself as a reliable linchpin in Klopp’s midfield, although his standards have diminished somewhat last season.
The Brazilian is about to end his five-year spell with the Reds, where he recorded 11 goals and 10 assists in 219 games and won seven trophies in total.
While Fabinho is likely to be Al-Ittihad’s fourth top signing this summer after Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Jota, Henderson is likely to become Al-Ettifaq and Gerrard’s first signing in the transfer window.
At Liverpool, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita have already left and the midfield turnover could continue as Thiago Alcantara is linked with moves to Saudi Arabia and Barcelona, as are Henderson and Fabinho.
