Completing an amazing return to Sunderland would “make sense” for Jordan Henderson.
That’s the view of The Pitch Prospect’s Darren Bent, who believes it would be like a homecoming for fans at the Stadium of Light.
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Henderson’s career began in Sunderland’s academy before breaking into the first team in 2008 and moving to Liverpool three years later.
It’s a move that brought great success to the midfielder as he collected a host of major trophies during his 12-year career at Anfield – winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups and the UEFA -Super Cup FIFA Club World Cup.
Henderson made a controversial move to Saudi Arabian club Al Ettifaq in 2023, but spent just six months in the Middle East before joining Ajax.
READ MORE ABOUT JORDAN HENDERSON
While the 34-year-old was seen as an important signing in his first season in Amsterdam, a leader and central figure in a young team, he struggled in his second season as he only started two league games.
He has been linked with a possible return to the Premier League – with the former captain even pictured visiting Liverpool with his old team-mates recently.
But Bent is keen to see him return to his boyhood club Sunderland, who are currently top of the Championship.
When asked on The Pitch Prospect Drive whether Henderson still has anything to offer a Premier League side or could return to the Stadium of Light, his former Black Cats teammate Bent gave his full response.
“I mean he’s 34 but I still think he could definitely do a job in the Premier League, 100 per cent – he looks after himself,” Bent said.
“I just think it makes sense to come back to Sunderland, you know what I mean?
“That’s his club, that’s where he started, that’s where I played with him and I’m sure the fans would love him too.”
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“He had an incredible career if you look back, what he won, what he did, he competed for England, he had an incredible career.”
“I think it’s almost like a homecoming for the Sunderland fans and I think it would be really nice for him to go there.”
Bent was then asked if Henderson would regret leaving Liverpool and he replied: “I think you will always regret leaving a club like that.”
“Liverpool, one of the biggest clubs in the world. I think you’ll always think, ‘Do I really want this?’ But it was [Jurgen] Klopp said he wouldn’t get as many minutes as he would like?
“I think given what he’s achieved and what he wanted to achieve in his career, coming back to Sunderland would be a really, really good way to… not so much end it, because I still think that he has a good three or four years left.
“He takes care of himself so he can still play at 37 years old.”
Henderson has made 12 appearances in all competitions for Ajax so far this season, although six of those have come in Europa League qualifying, and he has only started three games since they secured their place in the competition.
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Although his contract runs until the summer of 2026, clubs are reportedly on alert as he wants to leave the club.
If he played a home game against Sunderland in the middle of the season, for whom he had previously appeared 79 times, he would be relegated to the Championship.
However, the Black Cats are top of the table and hoping to gain promotion to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
While such a move could answer questions about his club career, it remains to be seen whether he will return to international football with England.
Henderson has won 81 caps for the Three Lions but has not played since November 2023 and was not in the Euro 2024 squad.