Brentford sign Jordan Henderson: what to expect and how he will fit in

Brentford announced the signing of Champions League-winning captain Jordan Henderson on a short-term deal this week; here is what to expect and how he will fit in.

Brentford announced the signing of Liverpool’s Champions League-winning captain Jordan Henderson on a two-year contract on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old returns to the Premier League after two years away, having initially left Liverpool for Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq in July 2023 before switching to Ajax six months later.

Henderson, who holds 84 England caps, arrives in west London as a free agent following the mutual agreement to terminate his contract with the Amsterdam-based club with one year remaining.

He will become the most decorated player to put on Brentford’s red and white stripes, which the club celebrates 100 years of this season, having captained Liverpool to six major honours since 2015.

The veteran midfielder lifted the Reds’ sixth Champions League trophy in 2019 before leading them to their first Premier League title in 2020 after a 30-year hiatus at the summit of England’s football pyramid.

In addition to these domestic and European honours, he has won the Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, Community Shield, and two EFL Cups since joining from boyhood club Sunderland in 2011.

What to expect from Henderson
Henderson arrives at the Gtech Community Stadium with an unrivalled level of experience that will help guide Brentford’s transition into a new era.

Taking on the number six shirt formerly worn by captain Christian Norgaard before his move to Arsenal this month, Henderson immediately becomes a senior figure in a squad with an average age of 24.2 years.

He is now one of just two players in Keith Andrews’ squad above 30, alongside Ethan Pinnock (32), and will be able to call upon his experiences captaining at club and international level to help guide a young team.

Renowned for his tireless work rate as a box-to-box midfielder under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, which saw him contribute 13 goals and 28 assists in 304 appearances, his role and style of play has evolved in the latter stages of his career.

Under Francesco Farioli at Ajax, he played at the base of a 4-3-3, dictating play from deep and showing great composure to receive the ball on the edge of his area before progressing play with high-level vision.

Henderson averaged 82.88 attempted passes per 90 minutes in the Eredivisie last year, completing 85.2 per cent, while making 8.7 progressive passes and 2.02 into the final third – statistics that place him in the top percentile of midfielders in the division, as per FBref.

While he does not possess the athleticism that saw him play an instrumental role in a very successful period for Liverpool, he compensates with a strong understanding of the game to stifle opposition attacks.

His reading of the game and positional awareness sees him operate one step ahead, allowing him to make 1.2 interceptions and 2.07 clearances per 90 in the league for a ball-dominant Farioli side last season.

Signing the 35-year-old goes against Brentford’s recruitment policy of signing players under 24, but Henderson’s elite-level experience was too good to pass up on ahead of the Bees’ fifth consecutive Premier League campaign.

How Henderson will fit in
Henderson will take on an important leadership role during what is a summer of change for the west London club, offering 744 senior competitive matches worth of know-how to lean upon.

It remains to be seen who will take on the armband at Brentford, but Henderson’s experience captaining England, Liverpool, Al Ettifaq, and Ajax puts him in strong contention.

He will be expected to fill the void left by Norgaard as one of the two holding midfielders in a 4-2-3-1, should Andrews continue with the set-up that saw his predecessor earn a 10th-place finish in his final campaign.

The 35-year-old will act as a metronome in midfield, dictating the flow of the game as he helps Brentford become a more ball-dominant side, while initiating fast attacks with precision switches and first-time passes.

While the club will believe he’s still capable of dealing with the relentlessness of the Premier League, he may require athletic assistance in the middle from the likes of Vitaly Janelt, Mikkel Damsgaard, Yehor Yarmoliuk, and new signing Antoni Milambo.

He will be a vocal presence on and off the pitch as he provides a leading example for not only the burgeoning young talent at the club, but also the more experienced players, as he pushes higher standards.

With an inexperienced head coach in 44-year-old Andrews, who takes on the first managerial role of his career, Henderson’s leadership will prove vital as Brentford’s credentials are truly tested this season.