Jordan Henderson has hit the ground running since his return to the Premier League with Brentford, and the former Liverpool skipper has shed light on what drove his decision to come back to English football.
Having departed Anfield in the summer of 2023 to join Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ettihad—then under the management of Steven Gerrard—Henderson later moved to Ajax, where he experienced a degree of success in the Dutch Eredivisie.
But after roughly 18 months in Amsterdam, the midfielder opted for a return to the Premier League, signing with Brentford. Despite speculation linking him with a move to his boyhood club Sunderland, Henderson chose West London instead.
“I don’t necessarily think I had to come back to the Premier League to get in the England squad,” he told Sky Sports ahead of Brentford’s clash with Manchester United this weekend.
“I was in the England squad also when I was at Ajax, in a different league. I do still think there are other leagues that are still at a good level and a high level.”
Reflecting on his time in the Netherlands, Henderson noted, “I was playing at a high level still, especially in Europe and some big games in Holland against PSV and Feyenoord. There were still some big games, but at the same time, I understand that it isn’t the Premier League.”
Ultimately, the lure of English football proved too strong: “I missed the Premier League. I missed the intensity, the atmospheres, and the feeling of the Premier League. In the end, that is what made me come back [and sign for Brentford].”
He also acknowledged the Premier League’s influence on international selection: “Of course, I do think the Premier League is the best and it gives me the best opportunity if I can perform at that level to get into the England squad, and that is at the back of my mind.”
