Jordan Henderson begins training with Al-Ettifaq BEFORE Saudi side confirm his £12m summer transfer from Liverpool – where he will earn £700,000-a-week

Jordan Henderson has been pictured training with his soon-to-be new Al-Ettifaq team-mates before his transfer has been announced. 

The Liverpool skipper is set to complete a controversial move to the Saudi Arabian club after agreeing a staggering £700,000-a-week deal that will see him link up with Reds legend Steven Gerrard. 

Henderson flew to Croatia on Wednesday to complete formalities following the agreement of a £12m fee for his services. 

And the 33-year-old, who is set to end his 12-year stay at Anfield, has already been spotted getting stuck into a passing session with his new team. 

In now-deleted footage which was circulating on social media, Henderson could be seen amongst several Al-Ettifaq players completing a rondo at the club’s current base in central Europe. 

Jordan Henderson is set to complete a £12m move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ettifaq

The 33-year-old has been seen completing a training session with his new team-mates before official confirmation of the move

Henderson is set to link up with Liverpool legend and Al-Ettifaq boss Steven Gerrard (right)

But his switch to Saudi has already earned Liverpool’s captain criticism given he previously earned praised for his support of members of the LGBT+ community

That is despite Al-Ettifaq, Liverpool or Henderson himself not yet announcing his move to the Middle East, although official confirmation is understood to be imminent.

Henderson has already drawn widespread criticism from Liverpool’s LGBT supporters ahead of his controversial switch to Saudi, where homosexuality is illegal.

The Reds captain has previously earned praise for his vocal commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community in football.

He was nominated for ‘Football Ally’ at the LGBT+ Awards in 2021, having made headlines for his supportive tweet to Liverpool fan Keith Spooner during the Rainbow Laces campaign. Henderson also expressed his support to an LGBTQ+ England fan in 2021.

LGBT fan group Kop Outs expressed their concerns over his potential move to to Saudi earlier this month, while also criticising Gerrard for his ‘participation in sportswashing’ after taking charge of Al-Ettifaq, citing his support for former LA Galaxy team-mate Robbie Rogers – who came out as gay in 2013.

Same-sex relationships are illegal in Saudi Arabia and women’s rights are also subject to heavy restrictions.

‘Kop Outs have valued the allyship shown by Jordan Henderson,’ the group wrote.

‘We are appalled and concerned that anyone might consider working for a #sportswashing operation for a regime where women & LGBT+ people are oppressed & that regularly tops the world death sentence table?

Kop Outs criticised Gerrard (right) for his decision to become Al-Ettifaq manager having previously been vocal in his support of Robbie Rogers (left), who came out as gay in 2013

‘Gerrard’s participation in this sportswashing is particularly galling given his previous support for LA Galaxy teammate Robbie Rogers. 

‘When someone’s made a fortune, should money tempt them to go to work? Maybe they should be asking themselves those questions.

‘We hope that Jordan Henderson proves to be a man of his word and stays true to the values of our club, which so far he has been an absolute embodiment of.’

However, on Tuesday footage emerged which appeared to show Henderson filming a farewell message at Anfield ahead of his proposed switch to Saudi, and now the clip of him training with his new team-mates all but confirms the move.