Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has paid tribute to Jordan Henderson and has revealed a 'really nice gesture' the midfielder did before his move to the Saudi Pro League.
Henderson, 33, has called time on his Liverpool career to join Saudi club Al Ettifaq, who are managed by former Reds captain Steven Gerrard.
The England international is believed to have signed a three-year deal with the Saudi Pro League club, worth a reported £700,000 per week.
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He becomes the fifth high-profile departure from Liverpool this summer, following James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita out of Anfield.
A number of Liverpool players have sent messages of support and thanks to Henderson, including international teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool boss Klopp has now reacted to Henderson's departure, admitting it is 'absolutely strange' to see the midfielder leave.
"In the moment, it is absolutely fine but it was already ongoing for a while now, so we had time to adapt to it and get used to it," Klopp told Liverpool's website.
"It is football, it is life, it is normal, these kind of things happen. Monday when we arrived back in Liverpool, Hendo was waiting for us to say goodbye properly to the team and to the coaching staff as well, so that was a really nice gesture - a really nice thing to do.
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"I know it was a really, really tough decision for Hendo and I was around or with him all the way. It's sad, absolutely strange, because he is the only captain I had here at Liverpool, but I think it is exciting for him as well.
"We will miss him, without a shadow of a doubt, that's clear - as a man and as a player. But, as I said, that's football."
Henderson won every major club honour as Liverpool captain including the Premier League and Champions League trophies and leaves having made 492 appearances for the club, scoring 33 times.
Confirming his departure on Wednesday, Henderson wrote: "Being made the captain of Liverpool Football Club was one of the greatest honours of my life.
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"From the day the armband was passed to me, I did everything I could to behave like a Liverpool captain should. But the biggest honours at Liverpool weren't personal ones, they were collective. All of us, all of you - together.
"Just know that I will always be a Red. Until the day I die. Thank you for everything. You'll never walk alone."
Topics: Liverpool, Football, Jurgen Klopp, Jordan Henderson, Saudi Pro League, Transfers
Rory O'Callaghan