Steven Gerrard looks set to be dealt a blow in his pursuit of Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
The England international had been linked with Saudi side Al-Ettifaq after Gerrard took over as manager.
But now the Daily Mail say Henderson is "reluctant" against the move and will likely remain at Liverpool or elsewhere in England.
After landing the job this week, Gerrard spoke of why he decided to take the opportunity in Saudi.
He explained: "There were a lot of reasons for me wanting to join the club. It has a lot of good people representing the club from the board down,’ said the 43-year-old.
"When I went over to Saudi, I got a real family feel. They made me feel extremely welcome. There are three things that I always consider: it needs to be right for my family first and foremost, we have to be excited and motivated by the challenge.
"The football project needs to be ambitious and for the right reasons in terms of the challenge and the remit. Of course, you need to feel secure that the contract is right. That always comes at the very end.
"It was a combination of reasons. I’m extremely excited and happy. I can’t wait to start. I can’t wait to meet the supporters and the players. But the people I have met so far who represent Al-Ettifaq have been absolutely outstanding. We share a lot of things in common.
"I’m a coach and manager who is very ambitious. I like to work tirelessly to make sure the team is competitive. If we’re all united and together, and we all stay aligned, I’m sure we can achieve our goals together.
"I think the league will continue to grow and evolve. With fantastic support from the government and ministers, and all the clubs throughout the Saudi Pro League and all the supporters and players, we all have an ambition to make it one of the best leagues in the world."
