Jack Hendry is expected to extend his stay at Al-Ettifaq after the club was given extra funds to push contract talks forward. The change has turned a deal that looked uncertain into one that now points toward him remaining beyond this summer.
That matters now because the 31-year-old was nearing the end of his current deal after three years in the Saudi Pro League, and he had already said last week that he had been busy with offers while out of contract. Hendry said having played in different countries had opened up more markets for him, added that it had helped him, and said he would probably make his decision before the start of the tournament.
His own words made clear why clubs were interested. Hendry said he had been “quite lucky” with the offers that had come his way, that he had taken himself out of his comfort zone, and that he had learned to stay mentally resilient through difficult periods in his career. He also said Scottish players had shown they can go abroad, compete and do well, a line that fits the wider appeal he has built since leaving Celtic FC.
For Al-Ettifaq, the update suggests a clean reversal from the financial caution that had cast doubt over fresh terms. Earlier concern around the club’s ability to offer a new deal appears to have eased, with additional budget now available and talks able to move on. That is the practical difference: not a vague improvement, but enough room for negotiations to stop stalling.
The one unresolved point is the final signature. Hendry is now expected to stay, and the direction of travel is clear, but the renewal still has to be completed before the story becomes official. There will also be no renewal for Georginio Wijnaldum, which leaves Hendry as the more immediate contract decision inside Al-Ettifaq’s summer picture.
For Hendry, the next step is simple enough to describe and hard enough to finish: choose the deal, sign it, and close a chapter that had looked open for much of the summer.
