Premier League giants Liverpool caused a stir when they signed Sunderland youngster Jordan Henderson for £20m eight years ago.
Former Liverpool director Damien Comolli has claimed that the £20 million signing of Jordan Henderson cost him his job at Anfield, in an interview with The Independent.
These days, Henderson is the influential captain and the beating heart of a Liverpool team who are set to play their second Champions League final in the space of 12 months, having silenced so many doubters along the way.
But there were plenty of eyebrows raised when The Reds paid a staggering £20 million fee for the then 20-year-old Sunderland midfielder back in 2011.
Henderson struggled to win over pundits and fans alike during his first few years on Merseyside and it seems that Liverpool’s owners also failed to spot what Comolli saw in this hard-working young talent.
“I remember the day I was sacked (in April 2012), the owners told me, Jordan Henderson what a massive mistake it was,” Comolli said. “That was about the only thing they told me.”
Comolli can take some comfort in knowing that his £20 million investment has now paid off in style, however. Now an England international of 50 caps, Henderson has also made over 300 appearances in Liverpool colours and led the club to a personal-best 97 Premier League points last season.
And Comolli was thrilled to see Henderson display his perfect blend of tenacity and technique during Liverpool’s famous 4-0 Champions League semi-final thrashing of Barcelona earlier this month.
“I am obviously very pleased because Jordan played a key part to what is happening at Liverpoool,” Comolli says.
“The second leg of the semi-final [against Barcelona] is just… typical Jordan Henderson. The energy he brought to the team, the determination, the commitment, refusing to give up, refusing to lose.”
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