Was new Jordan Henderson contract a mistake?

Throughout his Liverpool career, Jordan Henderson has made a habit of proving his doubters wrong. Some of those doubters have been among the Anfield club’s own fanbase. Most notably, Henderson’s anointment as Liverpool captain had many questioning whether the former Sunderland midfielder would be a suitable successor to Steven Gerrard.

Henderson’s passion and leadership skills soon shone through as he became a key figure in a Liverpool side that won Champions League and Premier League titles in back-to-back seasons. At 31 years old, though, Henderson is close to the twilight of his career which makes the Reds’ decision to hand their skipper a new four-year contract last summer somewhat bemusing.

It’s somewhat admirable that Liverpool wanted to hand their captain a long-term deal as a reward for his role in delivering success to the club but the Anfield outfit have risen to the top of the English and European game in recent years on the back of good scouting and shrewd recruitment. This includes decisions over contracts.

This season, Jordan Henderson has struggled for form and fitness. Liverpool are still in the Premier League title race and can feel good about their chances in the Champions League, but Jurgen Klopp’s midfield has been the focus of much discussion. In the eyes of many pundits and fans, Liverpool’s central unit doesn’t control matches as it should.

In the right structure, Henderson is a useful asset. The 31-year-old offers energy and drive through the centre of the pitch which is good for a team that plays a brand of fast and furious football. At his worst, though, Jordan Henderson can be positionally ill-disciplined. This was clear even as Liverpool claimed a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

When everyone is fit, it’s not even certain that Henderson would make Klopp’s starting lineup. Fabinho is untouchable at the base of Liverpool’s midfield and one of the first names on the team sheet. Then there’s Thiago Alcantara who gives the Red an element of control and guile that Henderson can’t.

This leaves one spare place in Liverpool’s midfield and on the basis of this season Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones might both be above Henderson in the pecking order. What’s more, both players are younger than Henderson and bring the same sort of energy with a greater degree of technical ability. Elliott and Jones are a greater reflection of Klopp’s Liverpool.

The new four-year contract Liverpool handed to Jordan Henderson last summer means he will still be tied to the Anfield club when he is 35. Is he likely to be any less injury prone then than he is now? Henderson might still have some worth as a dressing room leader at that stage of his career, but is that really worth the £140,000-a-week Liverpool have agreed to pay the midfielder until 2025?

Liverpool find themselves at a critical juncture in the Klopp era. While the club has tied a number of first team figures, including Henderson, to new contracts in the last 12 months or so, replenishment will be required at some point. Some difficult decisions need to be made otherwise Liverpool will stagnate.

With Jordan Henderson under contract until 2025, Liverpool now have one less route to replenishment. It would have been the shrewder option to let their captain leave at some point in the near future. At the very least, a short-term contract would have allowed Liverpool to assess Henderson’s worth to the squad further down the line. Just because Henderson has been a great player for Liverpool in the past doesn’t mean he will continue to be so in the future. He isn’t even a great player for them right now.

 

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