Does Jordan Henderson have anything to offer England other than 'card tricks and quizzes'? Inside Thomas Tuchel's controversial recall of the much-maligned Ajax midfielder

It was widely presumed that Henderson's move to Saudi Arabia would spell the end of his England career, but while his money-motivated transfer to Al-Ettifaq ruined his reputation as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, it didn't damage his international prospects. Sir Gareth Southgate continued to call upon one of his most trusted lieutenants while he was playing in front of crowds of a few hundred people in Dammam.

The then-manager even leapt to Henderson's defender after he was booed by some sections of the Wembley crowd while wearing the captain's armband during a friendly against Australia in October 2023. "I really don't understand it," Southgate said. "I know what's created it, but it defies logic that you would give a player who is playing and putting his heart and soul into playing for England... Why boo him? How is [booing] going to help him or the team?

"He is a player with 79 caps for England. His commitment and what he has delivered for England is exceptional. His role on and off the pitch is phenomenally important. He has taken Jude Bellingham under his wing. He knitted things together on the field tonight in a team with not a lot of caps."

Still, Southgate welcomed Henderson's decision to bring an abrupt end to his spell in the Saudi Pro League by joining Ajax during the winter transfer window as "it's easier to assess somebody playing in a European League". It's also highly probable that he would have included Henderson in his Euro 2024 squad had the veteran not picked up a muscular injury in March of that year that kept him out of action for five weeks at a critical point of the selection process.

"He just hasn't been able to get up to the intensity we need in the games since then," Southgate explained after leaving Henderson out of his provisional panel for Germany. "But he'll be a big miss. He's an exceptional individual, a fantastic human being and a fantastic professional. It was a difficult call to make."

The injury certainly came as a bitter blow to Henderson, who had made an solid if unspectacular start to life in Amsterdam, where he had been welcomed with open arms by an Ajax side that were still recovering from a dreadful start to the season that had cost Maurice Steijn his job

"We wanted an experienced midfielder with leadership qualities," Ajax boss John van 't Schip enthused after Henderson's January arrival. "Partially due to injuries in the team, we were looking for someone who could step in immediately. Jordan is that type of player."

Van 't Schip was so taken with Henderson, in fact, that he handed him the captain's armband while regular skipper Steven Bergwijn was sidelined by a hamstring problem in February and March of last year.

"He is a real professional, he is a leader, I think you can see it on the pitch," the interim coach told reporters. "And the boys around him, they feel that and accept that as well. He communicates with the players on and off the field. He tries to help players recover better and also takes them into the gym."

Henderson's impact on the field wasn't quite as impressive. While he was constantly lauded for his drive and determination, Ajax won just three Eredivisie games with him in the starting line-up as they ended up finishing a disappointing fifth in the table, while also suffering a humiliating 4-0 loss in the second leg of their Conference League last-16 tie with Aston Villa.

However, after Van 't Schip was replaced at the helm by Francesco Farioli during the summer, the 35-year-old Italian concluded from his very first conversation with Henderson that there was no better man to lead his new-look Ajax side.

The wisdom of that decision came under serious scrutiny in January, though, as Henderson gave the armband to team-mate Remko Pasveer ahead of the Europa League clash with Galatasaray to avoid any media duties amid speculation that he was on the verge of joining Monaco.

"Jordan wanted to focus on the match and not on peripheral matters," the goalkeeper told reporters. "Jordan does not want it to be about him but about the match. It is good that I can take over from him. That way we are there for each other. What you, the media, want to make of it, is up to you. This is his feeling and then I have his back."

Of course, there was never any chance of the temporary change of captaincy causing anything other than controversy. Frank de Boer called it "complete nonsense", while fellow Ajax legend Wesley Sneijder called on Henderson to "be a man and stand your ground".

The former attacking midfielder added: "You play the match, you have the armband on and after the match, you say: 'Yeah, guys, I don't know yet. Something is going on. We'll see.' Right now you get speculation and you create a lot of unrest."

Sneijder wasn't wrong, as the armband exchange only exacerbated an already delicate situation, which blew up when Henderson faced the media three days after the Gala game and became embroiled in a hostile exchange with a Dutch journalist over the claim that he - and not Ajax - was the driving force behind the proposed move to Monaco.

"I think 99 percent of people, if they knew the inside information, wouldn't have played the game [on Thursday]," he told reporters in an incredibly tense press conference. "But yet, people in this room have questioned my professionalism and me as a person. I think it's bang out of order. I've got a family, wife, kids, mum, dad, who read nonsense in the media from you guys."

Henderson elaborated further on the matter in an interview with ESPN in which he explained that Ajax's "financial situation" was the main reason why he was close to quitting the club just a year after arriving in Amsterdam.

"Money has to be created and that can be done by letting big earners leave," he said. "I am one of the big earners. The situation was that we had to decide whether it was worth pivoting or keeping my salary in this case. Those were difficult conversations. I said what I thought, but we jointly came to the conclusion that I should stay. I am happy with that. I will give everything for the club and the team. My plan was to stay here at least until the end of the season anyway, and then re-evaluate.

"But a lot of things were taken out of context in the press. That was disrespectful, they were lies. Untruths were told about me as a person. I tried to focus, but it feels painful. People may criticise me because of my game, but when it gets personal... I don't know what their sources are, but it is not true."

Henderson has managed to focus on his football over the past six weeks, with a minor hamstring issue proving far more of an inconvenience than any residual bitterness stemming from the Monaco mess. Indeed, Sunday's 2-2 draw with AZ - which halted Ajax's run of 10 consecutive Eredivisie wins - was just the second time Henderson has completed 90 minutes since February 2.

Still, his fitness is not considered a cause for concern, as he's featured 39 times already this season for Ajax and undoubtedly been one of the driving forces behind their bid to win a first Dutch title since Erik ten Hag's departure for Manchester United in 2022.

It won't come as a surprise to learn that centre-back Youri Baas is the only Ajax player to have reclaimed possession more times in all competitions than Henderson (177) - or that the Sunderland native ranks third for interceptions (41) and fourth for tackles won (31). However, he's also created more chances than any of his team-mates so far this season (51), resulting in six assists - a figure made all the more impressive for the fact that Henderson is being utilised as a defensive midfielder.

For that reason, Farioli believes that Henderson's shock return to the England fold makes perfect sense. "His spirit and his desire to constantly learn from everybody are crazy," the Italian told Sky Sports. "So, this says a lot about his humility. If, after winning a Champions League, you still have a desire to discover a new position, to discover new demands, to discover a new way of playing, this says a lot."

Tuchel clearly shares a very similar view of Henderson, both as a player and a person. The German has openly admitted that form certainly wasn't the only factor in the controversial recall, but Henderson has arguably provided enough evidence at Ajax to suggest that he still has something to offer the England squad other than card tricks, sing-songs and quizzes.