Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Jordan Henderson decided to leave Liverpool this summer because he couldn’t guarantee the captain regular game time.
The England midfielder left Anfield this summer after 12 years, completing a £12million move to Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
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Klopp has revealed he did have to have a conversation with Henderson regarding his role in the side moving forwardCredit: Getty
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Henderson then ended his 12 years at AnfieldCredit: Getty
Following his move, Henderson told The Athletic he didn’t feel wanted at Liverpool ahead of the new season and that played a role in his move to the Middle East.
Klopp has now responded to his former skipper’s claims and confirmed Henderson told ‘the truth’.
And although the German said it was not his intention to leave him feeling unwanted after their difficult conversation in pre-season, the coach admitted there was always going to be a ‘problem’ if Henderson was not playing regularly.
“Hendo said the truth, that’s how it was,” Klopp said in his press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Wolves – LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on talkSPORT.
“We had our talks. I told Hendo I wanted him to stay, but we had to talk about the possibility of him not playing regularly. I cannot tell a player he will play 50 games, I don’t know that, it all depends on performance.
“But with the relationship we had I thought it was important we spoke about everything, including ‘what happens if’.
“He’s a fantastic player, a fantastic guy, I will love him forever, but he was not great when he wasn’t playing. Milly [James Milner] was like that, Lucas Leiva was like that too. It was like Jekyll and Hyde. That was Hendo’s problem.
“He was my captain for nearly eight years but I needed to speak with him about that because I didn’t want to lock horns with him [during the season].
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Henderson now plays in Saudi Arabia with Al Ettifaq, where Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is his managerCredit: getty
“Obviously in Hendo’s ear’s that meant I didn’t want him here. If I had said to Hendo, ‘You’re going to be the main man, I want you to stay’, he would have stayed, that’s the truth.
“But I couldn’t say that, as much as I wanted him to stay, I couldn’t say it. So that’s why it was better he moved on.
“There’s not one bit of bad blood. He is the the captain of the most successful Liverpool team in the Premier League era, and rightly so.
“He is a sensational player and I wish him only the best. When he comes here he gets a really big farewell.
“So there is no misunderstanding.”
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