Chelsea sign England midfielder Henderson from Brentford

Chelsea have signed experienced midfielder Jordan Henderson on a two-year contract following his departure from Brentford, the Premier League club said on Monday.

The 36-year-old joined Chelsea on a free transfer after making 34 appearances for Brentford last season, a campaign that earned him a place in England World Cup squad.

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"Given the size of the club, the manager, who I have great admiration for, and the quality of the players, this was a huge opportunity I couldn’t turn down," Henderson said in a statement. "I was also so impressed with how much the ownership want Chelsea to be successful and move in the right direction."

Henderson came through Sunderland's academy before joining Liverpool in 2011 and he spent 12 seasons at Anfield, making 492 appearances in all competitions and captaining the team to the Premier League title in 2020.

He left Liverpool for Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq in 2023 but departed after six months to join Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam before joining Brentford last year.

Henderson played only six minutes at this year's World Cup before suffering a broken arm in a post-match accident following England's last-16 victory over Mexico.

He is new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso's second English signing of the transfer window, following the record acquisition of England midfielder Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.

Chelsea, who finished 10th in the Premier League last season, begin the new campaign at local rivals Fulham on August 24.