When Liverpool went above budget to land Jordan Henderson for an initial £16 million before his 21st birthday five years ago, the fee was viewed as exorbitant - the “English premium” applied to homegrown talent regardless of how far their capabilities extended.
Having overseen the midfielder’s development since he was eight, however, Sunderland were not demanding an amount based on where he was born, but on where they inherently believed he would end up.
“A lot smaller and skinnier than the others” according to Academy of Light manager Ged McNamee, Henderson showed an early appetite for pushing himself beyond any limitations and over all obstacles.