Jordan Henderson can now boast he is the best-paid English football of all time – and is on par with some of sport’s biggest names.
The England international has left Liverpool in a deal worth around £12million to move to Saudi Arabia this summer.
After Steven Gerrard was appointed Al Ettifaq manager, the Reds legend made the midfielder his top priority and he has landed his man.
But the real shock is the wages that Henderson will be receiving after penning a three-year deal with the Saudi side.
The 33-year-old has agreed to an extravagant salary worth £700,000-a-week, earnings buckets more than most sportspeople in the world – let alone footballers.
It means Henderson is now the best-paid English player in the world – by a massive difference.
Marcus Rashford at Manchester United held the title before the ex-Liverpool star picked up his latest pay packet.
After signing a new deal in the summer, Rashford is now making £375,000-a-week while his teammate Sancho is not far behind.
When the Red Devils snapped up the winger from Borussia Dortmund, they offered him a contract worth £350,000-a-week.
But Henderson’s total salary over a year would blow most sportspeople out of the water as he would take home £36.4m every year.
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Over a three-year deal, the former Sunderland star will make £109.4m – which is more than what LeBron James made in the last year.
The NBA legend is fourth in the top 10 of best-paid athletes in the world, according to Forbes.
His on-field salary of £35.5m-per-year is less than Henderson’s £36.4m, and the LA Lakers forward isn’t the only global superstar to be beaten by Henderson.
Golfing legend Rory McIlroy took home £31.5m for his on-course exploits, and his good friend Tiger Woods earned £11.6m.
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Showing the power of Saudi money on the Forbes list is LIV Golf rebel Phil Mickelson, whose £80m on-course earnings from 2022-23 is the most of any athlete on the list.
However, his off-course take home of £1.5 keeps him seventh on the list, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who tops it with a combined £105m from on and off-pitch earnings.
But Henderson will be rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in sport with his own pay packet, and he might not be the last superstar to make their way to the Gulf State.
