Jordan Henderson is still ‘lots of steps away from return to first team training’, says Jurgen Klopp

Jordan Henderson is ‘lots of steps away from return to first team training’, reveals Jurgen Klopp with midfielder still a major doubt for England at Euro 2020

  • Henderson has been out running with three other long-term Liverpool casualties
  • He joined defenders Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip in their recoveries
  • But Klopp admitted all four were ‘a long way’ from coming back to full training 

Jordan Henderson is still likely to miss England’s European Championship tournament this summer, after manager Jurgen Klopp he was ‘a long way’ off returning to full training.

Liverpool boss Klopp revealed Henderson, along with three other team-mates, was nowhere near coming back to full intensity on the training pitch.

Gareth Southgate‘s England kick off their first Euros match against Croatia on June 13 – in less than six weeks – but the German gave a negative update on Henderson and fellow long-term absentees Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is still likely to miss England’s Euro 2020 tournament

The midfielder and Reds captain, 30, has been out since undergoing groin surgery in February

The midfielder and Reds captain, 30, has been out since undergoing groin surgery in February

He said: ‘There are a lot of steps to go before they can take part in football training. They are all quite a long way from that.

‘Nobody has told me ‘fasten your seat belt they will be team training next week’. When players start running during rehabilitation it is in straight lines only at first.’

The Reds’ final match of the campaign is against Crystal Palace at Anfield on May 23, the day before Southgate is set to announce his squad for the tournament, but the central midfielder’s prospects of featuring in that game are slim to non-existent.

And boss Jurgen Klopp admitted he was still a 'long way off' returning to full-intensity training

And boss Jurgen Klopp admitted he was still a ‘long way off’ returning to full-intensity training

Liverpool skipper Henderson, 30, is still recovering after groin surgery in February and his likely absence will prove a major blow to the Three Lions’ chances.

Klopp’s side were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid last month and are not in any cup competitions, meaning they are relying on a top-four Premier League finish to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Next up they travel to Manchester United on Sunday, four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and one behind fifth-placed West Ham, with Tottenham and Everton hot on their heels.