The England international left Liverpool in the summer to head to the Saudi Pro League.
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But just six months down the line Henderson agreed to rip up his bumper £700,000-a-week contract to secure a move back to European football.
And the 33-year-old has now been confirmed as a new signing for Dutch giants Ajax.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Henderson said: “I’m sad to say that I will be leaving Al Ettifaq with immediate effect.
“It wasn’t an easy decision but one that I feel is best for me and my family.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the club & the fans for all the support during my time.
“I really felt the love from Day One. I’ll keep watching & hoping for your success. Good luck for the future.”
Henderson featured 19 times for Al-Ettifaq, failing to score but registering five assists.
On the move, an Ajax statement added: “Ajax has reached an agreement with Jordan Henderson on his transfer to Amsterdam.”
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Club manager John van ‘t Schip said: “We wanted an experienced midfielder with leadership qualities.
“Partially due to injuries in the team, we were looking for someone who could step in immediately. Jordan Henderson is that type of player.
“His arrival means a huge enhancement for our squad. Both on and off the pitch, a football player of this calibre is important for our many young players.
“He’s an English international player and has won the Champions League and many other prizes with Liverpool.
“I am happy he’s here, and I think it’s very good for our club that he’s an Ajacied from today onwards.”
The club also confirmed Henderson would wear the number six shirt, previously worn by the likes of Donny van de Beek, Clarence Seedorf, Frank Rijkaard, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp and Ronald Koeman.
Reports suggest Henderson will become the highest-paid player in the club’s history.
Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan told Sky Sports that Ajax are “prepared to break the bank” for Henderson.
He said: “Normally £5m is the maximum wages for any player to join Ajax. I’ve never seen them break the bank before.
“But I understand that looking at the background of the club’s form this season, they really need to change something.
“They are prepared to break the bank and pay a much bigger wage then they ever have before.”
His contract with the Dutch outfit will run until June 2026.
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