'Beyond disappointed': LGBT fans react to Jordan Henderson's £12m Saudi transfer from Liverpool
LGBT groups have criticised Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, as his club has reportedly agreed a deal in principle with Saudi Arabian team Al-Ettifaq.
It is understood the Reds have agreed the deal worth £12 million plus add-ons to sell the 33-year-old midfielder.
Henderson is believed to have reached a verbal agreement with the club - who are now managed by former Anfield team-mate Steven Gerrard.
The England international will reportedly earn £700,000 a week.
LGBT group 3LionsPride, a fan group for LGBT England supporters, said on Twitter that they were "beyond disappointed".
Henderson's move to Saudi Arabia is controversial because he has been a vocal ally of the LGBT community in football.
He wore rainbow laces during England’s run to the Euro 2020 final and has repeatedly voiced his support for greater inclusivity in the game.
Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death in the Gulf state.
The Reds captain has been in Germany with the team on their pre-season tour but was left out of Jurgen Klopp’s squad to face Karlsruhe in their first friendly on Wednesday, 19 July.
He has made 491 appearances since signing for Liverpool from Sunderland for £20 million in 2011 and skippered the side to the Premier League title and the Champions League.
Last week the England LGBT+ supporters group criticised Henderson as rumours of a move to Saudi Arabia circulated.
A statement from the group read: "Our joy for Mr Henderson when he scored against Ukraine in the Euros (quarter-final) was, in part, due to his kindness and his ‘lucky’ rainbow laces.
"A banner was created to commemorate the low bar he had achieved in being outspoken on our right to support England & show visibility on the pitch.
"If the rumours are true, then that banner will be consigned to the depths of history."
Following the transfer news Amnesty International has also called on Henderson to speak out against human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia.
The state stands accused of a host of other abuses including placing harsh restrictions on women’s rights and the right to political protest.
Critics including Amnesty have claimed that the regime of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman seeks to ‘sportswash’ the country’s international reputation by luring world football stars to the Pro League, with Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo amongst the most prominent players to have moved.
“Coming shortly after Steven Gerrard’s move to Al-Ettifaq, this looks very much like more Saudi sportswashing as huge amounts of Saudi wealth continues to pour into the purchase of star players, new events and even the acquisition of entire clubs,” said Amnesty’s UK economic affairs director, Peter Frankental.
“With every major signing Saudi Arabia is seemingly ratcheting up its sportswashing effort, with the overall strategy apparently one where Mohammed Bin Salman’s Saudi Arabia is increasingly associated with sport and entertainment, not repression and human rights abuse.
“While Saudi sportswashing gathers pace, there’s been a sustained human rights crackdown in the country, with peaceful activists intimidated and jailed, as many as 196 people executed last year alone, and (dissident journalist) Jamal Khashoggi’s sickening murder covered up.
“Jordan Henderson is of course free to play for whoever he chooses, but we would urge him to examine Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and be prepared to speak out about human rights violations in the country.”
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