Brendan Rodgers’ bond is being tested by three factors, including the rumoured transfer of Jordan Henderson to Celtic.

Only six months after joining Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, the England international is reportedly looking to leave.

Celtic have been mentioned as a possible destination for Jordan Henderson, who is looking to leave the Saudi Pro League.

However, despite reports south of the border declaring that the Hoops are “interested” in a deal, a shock move to the Scottish Premiership just six months after a £12 million move to Al-Ettifaq could face some major obstacles. It would be a stunning move for the former Liverpool captain, who has long expressed his admiration for Brendan Rodgers and his assistance in launching his career at Anfield.
The 33-year-old is said to be willing to take a significant pay cut and write off millions in taxes in order to return to the English Premier League. According to The Mirror, there are no “overwhelming number of suitors for the ageing ex-Sunderland man,” leaving Celtic as one of the few escape routes from Ettifaq in what would be one of the wildest deals of the winter window.

The bond with the man in the Parkhead dugout would undoubtedly be important, with the England international describing how Rodgers helped turn him into a Reds’ hero in his autobiography. “Our relationship was good by the time Brendan left,” he wrote.

“I needed his assistance. I needed him to give me opportunities and tactical lessons, and he eventually appointed me captain. To recognise the effort I had put in to become the player he desired, to recognise that I had grown in terms of tactical awareness, and to give me opportunities says a lot.

“Kenny (Dalglish) had resurrected the club, and Brendan had shown us what was possible at Liverpool in an era when we were competing with clubs owned by oligarchs and nation states.” He deserves more credit than he currently receives. When Brendan left, I thanked him for his help and began to consider who would be the next manager and whether he would want me. It was unfortunate that Brendan had not had the opportunity to complete what he had begun.”
While Henderson was being chastised for his decision to relocate to the Middle East, Rodgers was among those to publicly defend the move. The midfielder, a longtime supporter of the LGBT+ community, sparked outrage by moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal.

Rodgers told talkSPORT in the summer, “There are so many morality officers around the world nowadays who are judging people.” But Jordan is someone I know well, and I know how much he loves and will always love Liverpool. He was getting to the point in his career where he wasn’t going to be the first name on the team sheet any longer. So going abroad and taking on a new challenge was clearly a good fit for him.”
Sutton said ahead of Scotland’s match against the Auld Enemy last summer: “You look at Jordan Henderson in midfield. Would he be able to play in Scotland’s midfield? I’m just wondering if Jordan Henderson would be able to play in the Scotland midfield right now. McGregor. Gilmour. McGinn and McTominay.”

His international reputation could also play a role. According to reports south of the border, Henderson wants to return to the Premier League in order to make a late bid to resurrect his England career before Euro 2024. Fraser Forster was the last Celtic player to be called up to the England squad in 2012, and a move to the Premier League is unlikely to change Gareth Southgate’s mind before the tournament.

At this point, a deal appears unlikely. However, the January window is notorious for delivering unexpected results.

in other news,  The most recent Celtic transfer rumours concern Nicolas Kuhn, Sydney van Hooijdonk, and Joe Hart.