Khaberni - Jonjo Shelvey, former Liverpool player, reveals the reasons he left the Premier League and European clubs and moved
Shelvey joined Al Saqoor Club, competing in the UAE Second Division, last season after leaving Burnley, which was his last experience in England and in Europe in general, after he decided to settle in a new place.
Shelvey's career has seen him play for several English clubs, starting from Charlton Athletic (2007 - 2010), then Liverpool (2010 - 2013, except for a short loan to Blackpool in 2011), then Swansea (2013 - 2016) and Newcastle (2016 - 2023), and then Nottingham Forest (2023).
Afterward, Shelvey had several experiences in Turkey, starting from Rize Spor (2023-2024), then Ayub Spor (2024-2025), and then Burnley (2025), before deciding to move to the UAE and join Al Saqoor Club in September 2025.
In statements carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the English player refused to say that he went to Emirati football seeking money, stating: "What money?.. There is no money in the UAE Second Division... The approximate salary here is two thousand pounds a month for a football player, and considering what I have earned throughout my career, this is insignificant."
He added: "My brother earns a higher salary from his work at a London hotel, so it was never about coming here for the money, but for other far more important reasons."
After an experience that did not take place at Hull City, Shelvey suffered a hamstring injury, which complicated his chances of a summer transfer. However, his childhood friend Harry Agombar, coach of the UAE's Al Saqoor team, reached out to him to ask him to move to Dubai to help "develop the team."
Although the Shelvey family had settled in Tyneside for a long time – even after his departure from Newcastle in 2023 – the father of three saw it as an opportunity for a "fresh start", explaining: "I enjoyed my time... I am happy and content. I am now at a stage where I want to enjoy playing football... It's about waking up and enjoying what I am doing and spending time with my family."
Concerning the reasons that led him to prefer living in Dubai and leaving England, he said: "In London, you can't wear a watch.. You can't take out your phone," pointing to about 80,000 mobile phones being stolen in London last year, according to the Metropolitan Police, which also saw some prominent thefts over the past 12 months.
Unlimited Thefts
In February, former Formula 1 driver Jenson Button and his wife Brittany faced an incident of theft valued at 250,000 pounds of valuable belongings outside St Pancras Station, while thieves stole specially designed jewelry worth over 10 million pounds from socialite Shvera Huang after breaking into her home in St John's Wood in December.
However, London police say that cases of personal theft have decreased by 13%, and theft cases have fallen by 14% so far this year.
Shelvey continued mentioning his reasons: "I am not a fan of reading political news.. I just see some things happening.. I see people getting arrested because of tweeting, then because of flying flags and recovering the country.. I won't sit here and comment on issues like these, as I'm not smart enough, and I'll get myself into trouble if I continue, but I feel that the United Kingdom is not what it was 10 or 15 years ago."
Despite leaving the United Kingdom, the 33-year-old player stated that the only place he wishes to live is in the northeast of England, explaining: "There's debate about Newcastle's ability to attract big players compared to clubs in Manchester and London, but until you go there, you won't understand the impact on you."
He continued: "There are a lot of things to be done. I don’t care what anyone says. If players are going to listen to this, it’s obvious to go there and play football.. You won’t find love in a football club like you find in Newcastle, in the way it treats its players and how much support it offers."
Having spent more time at Newcastle than any other club – a total of 7 years after his move from Swansea City - Shelvey said he was "honored" to represent the club and occasionally wear the captain's armband.
In addition to staying after the relegation in 2016 and playing a role in Newcastle's return to the Premier League, Shelvey also helped ensure the team's survival in the Premier League. He even scored a "stunning" goal against Leeds United when Newcastle began to pull away from the danger zone three and a half years ago, marking a turning point in the tenure of coach Eddie Howe.
It should be noted that Shelvey played in the Premier League in 278 matches with the teams he represented, during which he scored 23 goals and provided 27 decisive passes.
