England midfielder, Jordan Henderson has departed Ajax on a free transfer following termination of his contract.
Henderson’s departure comes after 18 months at the Eredivisie club where he made 57 appearances following his free transfer from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq.
The 35-year-old expressed his gratitude to Ajax for giving him a chance to rebuild his career on the European stage after a tough spell at Al-Ettifaq, but was disappointed to had not helped the club achieve a trophy.
“I would like to express my immense gratitude to everyone associated with Ajax for giving me the opportunity to represent this incredible institution over the past few years. To play for this club was an honour in itself. To have the privilege of captaining it was even more so.
“My only regret is that we didn’t deliver more success for the amazing supporters. They deserve to be celebrating major titles again, and I’m sure that time will come soon.”
Henderson also spoke gratefully of the fans’ support for his family but believed that his brief statement without full explanation for his departure is appropriate, a week on from the death of his ex Liverpool teammate, Diogo Jota but vowed to deliver that in-depth response in due course.
“My family and I were made to feel so welcome, not just by the club but also in the wonderful city of Amsterdam. We will always be grateful for that.
“Due to the tragic events of last week, and the devastating loss of my former teammate Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, it doesn’t feel right at this moment to say or do more than share this brief statement. However, I am fully aware that I owe this club, my teammates, and the supporters a fuller and more personal thank you.
“I will, of course, do that when the time feels more appropriate. For now, I want to express my appreciation to Ajax once again, as well as everyone I haven’t had the chance to speak to in person yesterday, all of you who make this club so special.”
Ajax Technical Director, Alex Kroes added: “Jordan was a true captain for us, both on and off the pitch.
“An international top player who, through his mentality and leadership qualities, made a significant contribution to our qualification for the UEFA Champions League and further development of Ajax’s elite sporting culture.
“Jordan has meant a great deal to Ajax, and we are grateful to him for that. We wish him all the best as he continues his impressive career.”
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