Jack Hendry has opted to stay at Al-Ettifaq after a contract U-turn.
The ex-Celtic defender had seemingly called time on his spell in the Middle East after reportedly being dissatisfied by the terms of their latest offer.
After the recent trend of the Saudi PIF and Ministry of Sport scaling back sports investments, Al-Ettifaq were apparently facing budget cuts.
However, these issues have reportedly now been reversed with Ettifaq receiving a new budget, allowing for Hendry to stay.
👀 Would you like to see Jordan Larsson play for Celtic one day?
Jack Hendry talks ‘advance’ after Al-Ettifaq budget boost
According to Ben Jacobs of talkSPORT, Hendry is set to renew at the Saudi Pro League club as a result of their increased budget.
Gini Wijnaldum, on the other hand, is still expected to depart.
READ MORE: Damien Duff to reunite with Celtic ally after Premier League coaching move
Hendry is now an experienced defender with 36 caps for Scotland, and would’ve been unlikely to have been short on suitors for a free transfer in the summer.
Celtic hero Moussa Dembele is teammates with Hendry at Ettifaq. Earlier this month, they faced local rivals Al-Qadsiah, managed by Brendan Rodgers.
In a perfectly scripted sequence of events, Dembele and Hendry both scored against Rodgers’ side, inflicting the Irishman’s first defeat at the club.
Hendry was signed by Rodgers at Celtic in January 2018 in a bizarre three-club domino which saw Scott Bain’s loan from Dundee to Hibs terminated in order for him to join Celtic and Scott Allan to move to Easter Road.
Inexperienced and raw at the time, he struggled with his form, particularly in the Champions League qualifiers.
He eventually moved on loan to Australia and later Belgium, where he earned a £4.5 million move to Club Brugge with his form at Oostende.
🚲 What Celtic target Elias Filet has in his locker…
Jack Hendry on ‘coming on leaps and bounds’ in Saudi Arabia
Speaking about his Saudi experience to The Herald earlier this season, Hendry said: “I think if anyone gets the opportunity to go abroad and have these types of experiences, then I can only say that it should definitely be something that they should be taking.
“Then once you do it you need to properly buy into it and grasp it because for sure it will only help your career.
“I’ve embraced the country and the culture. I do really enjoy it out here [Saudi]. I’ve had numerous offers since I’ve been here and chosen to stay.
“My contract is up at the end of the season. They [Al-Ettifaq] are working behind the scenes to extend that or to put a proposal on the table that would make me stay longer.”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
