Jurgen Klopp came to the defence of his former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson following his surprise move to Ajax from Saudi club At-Ettifaq.

Henderson left Liverpool to to join the Saudi Pro League side in July in a hugely controversial move, signing a deal reportedly worth £700,000-per-week

However, just six months later the 33-year-old has departed, ripping up his lucrative contract to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with Dutch side Ajax.

The return to Europe has been greeted with derision by many, in particular after Henderson’s public vows to ‘grow the game’ during his planned three-year stay in the Middle East.

But Klopp has come to the defence of his former captain and said he is glad to see the England international happy again following the move.

‘I am happy for him because it looks like he’s happy and that’s the most important thing for me,’ Klopp said at his press conference before Liverpool’s game against Bournemouth.

‘I don’t read these stories, people are critical of the move, first there and now coming back.

‘I don’t know how we dare to judge, we have one life and sometimes you make decisions and it is different after you make them.

‘Ninety-nine per cent when I spoke to him was football wise, many things to develop there but not critical [of Saudi] but then he thought it was better to come back with his family.

‘Ajax is a sensational club.’

As Klopp’s side prepare for their clash against Bournemouth, the club are still waiting to learn the full extent of Mohamed Salah’s injury after he was forced off injured at the Africa Cup of Nations.

When asked about the injury, the German boss said: ‘We don’t know anything, I spoke with him last night with him on how it is.

‘Further assessment is what they are doing now. It was a moment of shock. You could see he was hit with something high intensity.

‘You have these kinds of injuries and we know how rarely he needs to go off. So it’s definitely something. So we will see. But I don’t know any information more.’