Jordan Henderson speaks for the first time on leaving Brentford and signing for Chelsea ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The 36 year old left the Bees after mutual agreement was reached to terminate his contract last week, and signs for the Blues on a two year deal.
He joined Brentford on a free transfer from Ajax in July 2025, making 34 appearances across all competitions during the 2025/26 campaign.
Henderson said, as per the Brentford website: “I leave Brentford with a lot of gratitude for the opportunity the club gave me, and for the support and care shown to me and my family from day one.
“Coming back to the Premier League was really important to me, and Brentford gave me that chance. I’ll always be thankful for that.
“I hope I was able to play my part in helping the team through an important period for the club. We achieved a lot together last season, and it’s something everyone involved should be proud of.
“Brentford is a special football club. It’s ambitious, progressive and full of good people. From the owners and leadership, to the coaching staff, the players and everyone behind the scenes, it’s been a privilege to be part of it.
“Most of all, I’d like to thank the supporters. Their backing never changed, and the connection they have with the club is clear to see. They care deeply about Brentford and they support the team in the right way every step of the journey.
“Finally, thank you to Matt, Phil, Lee and Keith, every member of staff, and all my team-mates. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside you, and I’ll look back on my time at Brentford with a lot of pride and some great memories.”
Brentford director of football Phil Giles said: “Jordan signed for us last summer on a two-year deal.
“The plan we agreed at the time was for Jordan to add his experience to the team and help the club achieve a good Premier League finish. In return, the club committed to helping Jordan get into the England squad for the World Cup while remaining an elite Premier League midfielder. All of those targets were achieved.
“We also agreed that we would sit down after the World Cup and decide what the targets would be for both the club and Jordan in the second year of the contract.
“Following those conversations, it was clear that Jordan’s preference was to try something different in the final years of his playing career. We had always said to him that, should that be the case, we would not stand in his way.
“He therefore leaves after a very successful season, both personally and collectively, with the best wishes and gratitude of myself and everyone at Brentford.”
Brentford head coach Keith Andrews added: “Following the departure of our club captain Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal, and with Vitaly Janelt not fit enough to start the season, Jordan was a really important signing for us because he added elite-level experience.
“He played a big part in some memorable performances, especially in the early part of the season as we were forming a new team.
“He had an insatiable desire to represent England at the World Cup in the summer and it was always part of the plan for us to discuss the next chapter for him and what it looked like.
“Taking into consideration Jordan’s ambitions and where our squad is currently, we both felt it was the right time for Jordan to pursue his career elsewhere.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Jordan and I sincerely wish him every success.”
Henderson said, per Chelsea’s website: “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.
“I was also so impressed with how much the ownership want Chelsea to be successful and move in the right direction.
“For me, it’s about giving everything every single day, both on and off the field, to help the players around me and the team as much as possible. I’m very excited to get going.”
In his first Chelsea interview, he continued: “It’s probably best for my team-mates to speak, but football is a team sport, and everything should be about the team.
“Throughout my career, everything I’ve tried to do has been for the team. I’ve tried to make people around me better by being the best team-mate I can be.
“When I’m on the training pitch, it’s about having those relationships where you can demand from people, but also know the right time to have conversations and a laugh and a joke as well – getting the balance right.
“The older you get, you go through a lot of different experiences. At times, you can relate to younger players when you look back at your own career and think about the things I have been through that I can see similar situations happening.
“I try to speak to them and give them a different perspective. To speak to someone and give them your experiences is a good thing and an important thing to do.”
Watch what he had to say in full below…
🔵🎬 Jordan Henderson’s first full interview as a Chelsea player. 🎙️ https://t.co/3wPjoDiYVT pic.twitter.com/oFljnv7s1d
— 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 (@TheChelsZoneX) August 3, 2026
Jordan Henderson 🗣️ “A lot has happened and changed throughout my career. I’ve been through good times, bad times and difficult moments, but they’ve all been part of my journey and shaped who I am today.
Football is a team sport, and everything should always be about the team. I… pic.twitter.com/AQEKzu3zb4
— SHAYEE 𒀭 (@tiier_1st) August 3, 2026
