Liam Henderson finds himself at the center of a Championship transfer tussle as both "Bristol City" and "Swansea City" are vying for his signature. The 29-year-old midfielder is set to become available on a free transfer when his contract with Serie A side Empoli expires this summer.
Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke first broke the news, revealing that the two second-tier English clubs have identified Henderson as a key target for their summer recruitment plans.
A return to the United Kingdom would mark a significant shift for Henderson, who has plied his trade in Italian football since 2018 when he joined Bari. His journey through Italian football has been quite remarkable.
The former Scotland youth international, who developed through Celtic's academy, has accumulated an impressive 104 appearances in Serie A during his time with various Italian clubs including Hellas Verona, Empoli, Lecce, and Palermo. Such extensive experience in one of Europe's top leagues makes him an attractive proposition, especially on a free transfer.
Bristol City's interest comes at a particularly challenging time for the club. They recently lost manager Liam Manning to divisional rivals "Norwich City" and are yet to appoint his replacement. Landing Henderson could provide a much-needed boost after Manning had guided them to an unexpected play-off spot last season.
However, "Swansea" presents a compelling alternative. The Welsh outfit has already demonstrated their ambition in the transfer market by securing Ricardo Santos from Bolton, young striker Bobby Wales from Kilmarnock, and investing significantly in winger Zeidane Inoussa.
Interestingly, the Swans also have a rather unique selling point in the form of Luka Modrić. The legendary Real Madrid midfielder became a co-owner of the club earlier this year and has already played an active role in recruitment, personally phoning Inoussa to convince him to join the project.
Could Modrić's involvement sway Henderson's decision? As a midfielder himself, the opportunity to work with one of the modern game's greatest in that position might prove difficult to resist.
While these two clubs are currently the only named suitors, Henderson's profile and availability could well attract further interest. A player with his experience becoming available without a transfer fee? That's a rare opportunity in today's market.
