Forget the odds - there's no way Henderson will join Arsenal this summer ❌

Two years remaining on his contract and still highly valuable to Jurgen Klopp

The departure of Georginio Wijnaldum this summer, an exit that has left a considerable void in Liverpool’s midfield, hurt a great deal.

With speculation now mounting over Jordan Henderson’s future at the club, Red hearts could yet be completely torn asunder.

Jaws collectively dropped on a global scale following The Athletic’s update on the skipper.

“Negotiations haven’t broken down and sources stress that dialogue is ongoing but it’s both a complicated and sensitive situation,” James Pearce and David Ornstein wrote in a joint piece for the publication.

“The reality is that Liverpool’s owner Fenway Sports Group (FSG) currently has bigger priorities to address in the squad.

“And the uncertainty leaves the door open for suitors of the talismanic midfielder, who celebrated a decade of service to the club last month, when he also turned 31, and is currently on holiday following his run with England to the final of Euro 2020.”

We’re not quite yet at a Wijnaldum-level of panic - the midfielder’s contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 2023 - though it certainly doesn’t help that reports have begun to circle the England international’s future like vultures to a near-corpse.

Interest from Paris Saint-Germain (our former No.5’s new club) and Atletico Madrid is understandable given Henderson’s quality.

Arsenal, however, seems a potential destination well and truly beyond the realm of reality.

According to the Daily Star, citing odds from Coral, the London-based outfit are frontrunners for the player’s signature.

EH?

Arsenal desperately need to bolster their numbers in the middle of the park and adding Henderson to Mikel Arteta’s squad would be a coup of epic proportions for the Spaniard.

But… It’s not going to happen.

We’re talking about the same player who rejected the opportunity to jump ship when Brendan Rodgers was convinced he could get more out of Fulham’s Clint Dempsey.

We’re talking about the same player who helped lead Liverpool to three major cup finals in three consecutive seasons (winning two out of three).

We’re talking about a player adored by his teammates, Klopp and fans alike.

In fairness, adoration can only go so far, but you’d find few prepared to question the 31-year-old’s commitment to the cause.

Nonetheless, the fact of the matter, regardless of whether or not neutrals believe the No.14 can continue playing at the highest level beyond the expiration of his current terms, is that Henderson will continue to be an integral figure in Jurgen Klopp’s squad for the foreseeable future.

He’s the German’s captain for one and there’s been no indication that the former Dortmund boss has any intention of changing the player’s status or reducing his playing time.

There’s a possibility that decline could set in beyond 2023 (perhaps before then), but for the moment we’re talking about an eventuality that has yet to rear its ugly head.

We can understand both sides of the coin when it comes to debates over extending the skipper’s terms at Anfield beyond 2023, however, we simply can’t see Klopp sanctioning Henderson’s early departure from Liverpool and certainly not to a Premier League rival.

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