Jordan Henderson has denied rumours over the past week suggesting he was pushing to leave Ajax, hitting back at the 'disrespectful lies'. On Sunday the ex-Liverpool skipper sat down with reporters for the first time since rumours spread of a possible January switch to AS Monaco.

Since departing Liverpool 18 months ago Henderson, 34, has played under Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq for a short period before moving to Amsterdam last year's winter window. Having taken up the captain's armband and made 45 appearances since, it came as a shock when reports emerged suggesting he would turn his back on the club for Monaco this winter.

He kept his place in Francesco Farioli's side for Thursday's Europa League tie with Galatasaray, though with the captaincy stripped to further fuel ideas of tension before a departure. Angry Dutch legend Wesley Sneijder told him to 'be a man'.

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However, instead of a mid-season switch what followed were stories of a 'U-turn', deciding in the end that he would stay put at least until the end of the season. Responding to questions on 'wanting to leave' his Dutch club, Henderson was defensive.

"Based on what? The coach told you I wanted to go to Monaco? Because I had a big offer? That's not true," he said with a dumbfounded expression to match. Confirming that negotiations had taken place between the clubs because Ajax needed to consider their own financial situation, he hinted that no accord could be reached but ferociously denied he ever expressed desire to leave.

Henderson clarified: "Money has to be created and that can be done by letting big earners leave. I am one of the big earners. It's often about my salary in the media. The situation was that we had to decide whether it was worth pivoting or keeping my salary in this case.

"Those were difficult conversations. I said what I thought, but we jointly came to the conclusion that I should stay. I am happy with that. I will give everything for the club and the team.

"Of course I am happy to stay. My plan was to stay here at least until the end of the season and then re-evaluate. A lot of things were taken out of context in the press. That was disrespectful, they were lies.

"Untruths were told about me as a person. I tried to focus, but it feels painful. People may criticise me because of my game, but when it gets personal ... I am a human being with family, parents, a wife and children. If they read things in the press that are not true, that is going too far. I don't know what their sources are, but it is not true."

The ex-Red of 12 years, captain for eight of those, continued playing for Ajax on Sunday, starting and finishing the 2-1 Eredevisie victory over Feyenoord. Most importantly, he was awarded the armband after this latest fiasco.