London: Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is set to join former teammate Steven Gerrard at Saudi club Al Ettifaq after a deal was struck between the clubs, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.
Henderson, 33, led the Reds to their first Premier League title for 30 years in 2020, a year after lifting the Champions League.
However, the England midfielder has been tempted to join Gerrard after reportedly being offered a deal worth up to £700,000-a-week ($915,000)
Liverpool are set to receive a fee of £12 million ($15.5 million).
Gerrard was appointed manager of Al Ettifaq earlier this month.
Henderson joined Liverpool from Sunderland in 2011 and succeeded Gerrard as skipper at Anfield in 2015.
He had been left out of Jurgen Klopp’s squad for a friendly against Karlsruhe on Wednesday.
Liverpool are also set to lose Fabinho to the influx of investment by Saudi clubs with the Brazilian on the brink of a £40 million move to Al Ittihad.
Klopp has also seen midfielders Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner depart on free transfers since the end of last season.
But Liverpool have reinforced that area of the field with the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Mahrez to move to Saudi Arabia
Riyad Mahrez could be the latest big-name player heading to Saudi Arabia.
The Manchester City winger was not included Wednesday in a 25-man squad for the team’s preseason tour of Japan and South Korea amid reports he is joining Al Ahli in a deal worth up to £30 million ($38.7 million).
Mahrez was given permission not to go on the tour provided City received a bid that met its valuation of the Algeria international, who joined the club from Leicester in 2018.
City hasn’t officially confirmed the agreement of a deal for Mahrez with Al-Ahli, a Jeddah-based team which has this offseason signed goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from Chelsea and striker Roberto Firmino following the end of his deal at Liverpool.
Leipzig sign Dutch midfielder Simons
Germany’s RB Leipzig have signed Netherlands midfielder Xavi Simons on a one-year loan from French champions Paris St Germain, both clubs said on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old returned to PSG on Wednesday, signing a four-year contract following a year at Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven.
In the Netherlands Simons was league’s second-best scorer with 19 goals in 34 games, helping PSV to a second-place finish as well as to the 2022-23 KNVB Cup.
“We have been able to sign an exceptional young talent in Xavi Simons,” Leipzig’s Board Member for Sport Max Eberl told the club website.
“He is one of the top attacking midfielders in his age group in Europe and has everything needed to take the Bundesliga by storm with his individual quality.” The former Barcelona academy player moved to PSV in June 2022 from PSG upon the expiry of his contract, before rejoining the French club, who have immediately loaned him to Leipzig.
“I’m joining a club that regularly plays Champions League football,” Simons said.
“The squad has the perfect mix of lots of young and experienced players, and the whole club is hungry for success.
“I was immediately impressed by RB Leipzig’s style of play and I strongly believe that my qualities will be a good match for this team and we can achieve a lot together.”
Milan sign midfielder Reijnders
AC Milan have signed midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar on a five-year contract until 2028, the Serie A club said on Wednesday.
No financial details were disclosed, but Italian media reported that Milan paid a fee of about €20 million ($22.39 million) with add-ons.
Last season, the Dutchman excelled for AZ, netting seven goals and contributing 12 assists in 54 appearances across all competitions.
He will be manager Stefano Pioli’s fifth signing this transfer window, with Marco Sportiello, Luka Romero, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic arriving at San Siro earlier.
Pioli has strengthened the midfield this season by adding 24-year-old Reijnders to the roster, a move aimed at bridging the gap left by Sandro Tonali’s departure to Newcastle United earlier in July.
Reijnders received his first international call-up for the Netherlands’ Nations League Final Four campaign in June but did not play any matches.
Inter sign Colombia winger Cuadrado on one-year deal
Inter Milan have signed Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado on a one-year deal, the Serie A side said on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old arrives in Milan after an eight-year spell at Juventus, which ended at the end of June when his contract expired.
“Technique, versatility and reliability: Juan is ready for a new, Nerazzurri, adventure,” Inter said in a statement.
Cuadrado initially joined Juventus on loan from Chelsea in 2015, signing a contract for a permanent move two years later.
He helped Juve to five Serie A titles, four Italian Cups and two Super Cups. During his time in England he won the Premier League and the League Cup.
Cuadrado provided the highest number of assists in the 2020-21 Champions League as well as at the 2014 World Cup.
He made 115 appearances for his country, with only goalkeeper David Ospina (127) ahead of him.
