Not many players have left Liverpool and gone on to better things during Jurgen Klopp’s reign.
The Reds haven’t always let go of certain players at the ideal time, with some outstaying their best by a year or two.
Despite that, the ones who have gone with something left in the tank have usually found it running on empty pretty soon after.
Last summer’s batch of departures from the Liverpool squad are good evidence of this. Jurgen Klopp let some big players go, including a number of bona fide legends of the club.
But while Roberto Firmino has struggled to get going in Saudi Arabia and James Milner has had an injury-hit season with Brighton, perhaps the worst has been reserved for Jordan Henderson.
Gary Neville reacts to Jordan Henderson’s England snub
Although Henderson has had a better season than another midfielder who left with him last year – Naby Keita – his fall from grace has been much more alarming.
The 33-year-old was always taking a gamble when swapping Anfield for Saudi Arabia. But it was one which went horribly wrong for him. A terrible misjudgement from Henderson.
Having cut his stay in the Middle East short though, the former captain possibly thought he’d had a reprieve when Ajax bought him in January. No dice, it has been a tough spell in Amsterdam for Henderson.
READ MORE: The real reason Jordan Henderson wasn’t in Jurgen Klopp’s goodbye video
To top it all off, the veteran has now been bombed out of England’s Euro 2024 squad by Gareth Southgate. Although it was the right call from Southgate, Gary Neville told The Overlap that he had been left ‘stunned’ by the England manager’s decision.
“I didn’t expect that,” said the Man United legend.
“Gareth went to watch him, he went out there to watch him for Ajax,” Jamie Carragher chipped in. “Curtis Jones is in? Brilliant.”
“I’m just thinking, not that he would start, but he was a mainstay only 18 months ago in Qatar,” Neville added. “I thought he’d be a good squad player, 26 players, experience, 25 minutes, come on and do a job. I’m really stunned.”
Jordan Henderson will regret Liverpool exit
When Henderson left Liverpool, it appeared as though his reasoning was largely based on a likely lack of game time.
At 33, the former captain seemingly believed he should still be more or less be a regular in Klopp’s XI. With the manager disagreeing, Henderson left.
Part of the reason he wanted to be playing was to keep his place in the England squad ahead of this summer’s tournament.
Unfortunately for Henderson though, not only has he left his reputation in tatters, but he’s also now missed out on that very goal, too.
You can’t help but feel that had he stayed at Liverpool, Jordan would have featured plenty and would be a certain pick for Southgate. If he could rewind the clock, we’re certain Henderson would.