Jordan Henderson Called Out by Wesley Sneijder as Things Turn Ugly at Ajax

Former Ajax midfielder Wesley Sneijder has called out Jordan Henderson to ‘be a man’ as the 81-cap England international, 34, pushes a move to French side Monaco before the January transfer window slams firmly shut next week. Amid clamour over plenty of stars’ futures this January, Henderson is among those who are looking to embark on a new adventure and Monaco, who are sitting third in Ligue 1, are reportedly the midfielder’s chosen destination. Usually his Eredivisie employers' captain thanks to his enviable leadership qualities, boss Francesco Farioli named Remko Pasveer as stand-in skipper for Ajax’s Europa League encounter against Galatasaray on Thursday night.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Henderson, amid his eight assists, is yet to score for Ajax in his 44-appearance stint at the club. Henderson, who joined Ajax in January 2024 after a torrid six-month stint at Steven Gerrard ’s Al-Ettifaq, played 77 minutes at the Johan Cruyff ArenA on Thursday night before making way for Jorthy Mokio – and Sneijder isn’t happy with his conduct. After the Englishman refused to be interviewed by Dutch TV in the immediate aftermath of the three points, Pasveer explained: “Jordan was on the team sheet as captain, but he had external factors influencing him.



” Formerly of Liverpool , the Sunderland-born man – who is regarded as one of the most underrated players in football history – is reportedly trying to force a move to Monaco as things in the Dutch capital turn from bad to worse for all parties. Dutch publication De Telegraaf has reported that Henderson, on Thursday, had requested that he be allowed to move to the French side on a free transfer, despite his current terms expiring in the summer of 2026, or else he’d refuse to play for the club. Jurgen Klopp parted ways with one of his Liverpool stars in bittersweet circumstances.

On Ziggo Sport, punditry duo Sneijder and Frank De Boer were both informed that Henderson or Ajax technical director Alex Kroes had been asked to address the situation. De Boer jumped to the midfielder’s defence and suggested that he didn’t have to. Sneijder, per talkSPORT, took a different view by saying , “Don’t be so difficult.

You just play that match with the armband on and then you say, ‘Yeah guys, I don’t know yet.’ Something is going on. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

" Reflecting on the nasty fallout, the 40-year-old – who turned out for the club on 180 occasions – insisted that Henderson should ‘be a man’ and face up to the cameras, especially with an all-crucial clash with rivals Feyenoord on Sunday. Be a man and stand up. Right now, you get all this speculation and you create unrest.

It could have been much calmer if he had just worn the [captain’s] armband. I find it very strange. I don’t think UEFA had even figured it out yet.

“So there must have been some kind of switch at the last moment. That does raise questions. I don’t know if we’ll hear an explanation from Fariolo, because he probably won’t give you an answer.

But I find it strange. I think: if you choose a different captain, you shouldn’t field Henderson either.” Fans are on the same page as Utrecht-born Sneijder.

One said: “Ajax gave Jordan Henderson the chance to play in Europe again, to get into the spotlight for England, Ajax even gave him the captain’s armband. And his response is abandoning the club and project as soon as the club called where he doesn’t have to pay tax. Disgrace of a player.

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