Signing Jordan Henderson cost Damian Comolli his job, according to the former Liverpool director of football himself

Comolli sanctioned the £16m move for Henderson in 2010 but was sacked in 2012 and given no reason for his dismissal

Damian Comolli alongside Joran Henderson when he signed for the club in 2010 (Getty Images)

Damien Comolli has blamed Jordan Henderson’s slow start at Liverpool as the reason he was sacked from his role as director of football, with the £16m signing failing to settle at Anfield when he moved from Sunderland in 2010.

Henderson has gone on to flourish as one of England’s best central midfielders and has been tipped to replace Steven Gerrard as both Liverpool’s lynchpin in the middle and captain – should that be at the end of the season when his contract expires or a few more years down the line.

However, the move looked to be a bad decision two years ago when Henderson was struggling to break into the side, and Comolli was eventually sacked by the club in 2012. He claims that he was “led to believe” that sanctioning the signing of Henderson was the reason why he was sacked, yet still claims that he was “undervalued” when the Reds shelled out £16m for him.

“When we signed Jordan Henderson, he got so much criticism, I got so much criticism,” Comolli told the Liverpool Echo.

“I was never told why I was sacked but I was led to believe it was because we signed Jordan Henderson, and the owners were convinced he was not good enough.

Comolli celebrating the League Cup sucess in 2012 (Getty Images)

“Looking at all this, what he was doing for his age, and all due respect to Sunderland, he was definitely undervalued by the market. And I’ve been told we overvalued him. Even directors at Sunderland later said ‘you didn’t know what you were doing’.”

Henderson can take comfort from proving the doubters wrong as he has become a crucial figure in both the Liverpool and England squads, but unfortunately for Comolli, his vindication will not get his job back.