Exclusive: Jordan Henderson is thrilled to have joined the ‘iconic’ Ajax and is feeling like a child in a candy store. He is cautious of the in-form Aston Villa.

Jordan Henderson, the former Liverpool captain, is excited about joining AFC Ajax in January. He compares the experience to being “like a kid in a sweet shop.” Henderson, who is 33 years old, is currently preparing for a challenging match against Aston Villa in the last-16 of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+ and is scheduled to kick off at 17:45 UK time. Coverage will begin at 17:00. Henderson’s move to Ajax came after a short stint with Saudi Arabian side Al Ettifaq. Since joining Ajax, he has quickly settled in Amsterdam and has helped the team reach the last 16 of the Europa Conference League. He has also captained the young side twice in the Eredivisie.

Despite Ajax’s current fifth-place standing in the league, Henderson is thrilled to be part of such a prestigious and historic club. He explains that Ajax is a huge and iconic club. Although they haven’t been performing at their best recently, Henderson understands the club’s vision and is excited to contribute to their future success.

Henderson acknowledges the pressure that comes with playing for a club like Ajax but expresses his eagerness to perform at the highest level. He believes that once you join Ajax, you need to be at the top of your game and meet the expectations of the fans. He admits that he has missed this pressure over the past few months.

Ajax dropped down to the Conference League after finishing third in their Europa League group. However, they have shown resilience by defeating Bodo/Glimt in the play-off round. Now, they face a tough challenge against Aston Villa, who are currently fourth in the Premier League and aiming for Champions League qualification.

Henderson, who closely follows the English top-flight, warns his new teammates about the difficulty of the upcoming match. He praises Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, and the quality of their players. He sees this match as an opportunity for Ajax to test themselves against one of the most in-form teams in Europe this year.

Fans can watch the Ajax vs Aston Villa match live on TNT Sports 3, with coverage starting at 17:00 UK time. Subscriptions to TNT Sports are available through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.