Gerrard collects another Klopp favourite, as Al-Ettifaq sign star who made Liverpool tick

Jordan Henderson will line up alongside a familiar face from his Liverpool days after Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq wrapped up another midfield signing, per a top source.

Al-Ettifaq are not among the four Saudi Arabian clubs being backed by the Public Investment Fund. Nonetheless, they have made eye-catching moves of their own this summer.

Indeed, Al-Ettifaq successfully lured Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson to the Saudi Pro League. Henderson netted the Reds around £12m through his sale.

Elsewhere, former Fulham, Celtic and Lyon striker, Moussa Dembele, signed with Al-Ettifaq on July 26.

But with the Saudi Pro League’s transfer window not closing until September 7, their clubs still have six more days in which to bolster their ranks.

That is proving a worry for Liverpool specifically with regards to Mohamed Salah. The Reds have already knocked back a bid worth around £150m (including add-ons) from Al-Ittihad for the Egyptian ace.

However, Al-Ittihad are not backing down and Sky Sports suggested an improved bid worth £200m could be on the way. Losing Salah in the period after England’s transfer deadline has passed would be worst case scenario for Liverpool.

In any case, today’s update regards Al-Ettifaq and who Steven Gerrard has signed to rekindle a Liverpool connection in midfield.

Wijnaldum to reignite Henderson connection

Fabrizio Romano reported the Saudi side had struck a verbal agreement to sign ex-Reds favourite, Georginio Wijnaldum, on Friday.

In a fresh update, the transfer guru tweeted Wijnaldum has now signed with Al-Ettifaq.

A three-year deal running until 2026 has been penned and PSG will receive a package worth €10m (approx. £8.6m). A medical has already been passed and the deal is as good as done.

Wijnaldum was a vital component in Liverpool’s rise under Jurgen Klopp, though his career stalled upon leaving the club as a free agent in 2021.

The Dutchman failed to make an impact in Paris and quickly tumbled down the pecking order, resulting in a loan spell with Roma last term. However, a broken leg ensured his time in Rome was not a success either.

Nonetheless, Wijnaldum now has the chance to revive his career in Saudi Arabia alongside a player he knows all too well.

READ MORE: Liverpool tipped for huge January splash with £30m midfield signing lined up