Heitinga leaves Liverpool to become Ajax head coach

John Heitinga has resigned as Liverpool’s assistant coach and is now the club’s head coach.

Before serving as Ajax’s reserve team boss and interim head coach, the former Netherlands defender made more than 200 appearances for the club.

The 41-year-old, who was previously a member of the Ajax academy, will be assisted by Marcel Keizer, a second Ajax academy graduate, who has signed a two-year contract with the club.

Heitinga takes over from Francesco Farioli, who left Ajax last week after his first season under his belt ended in a season-ending meltdown.

Ajax, who have won the Dutch title a record 36 times, would now have won a third straight season without a trophy.

Their technical director, Alex Kroes, called John a “good coach with enormous drive.”

He has “developed his self-achievement” through the Premier League and Champions League over the past few years.

We are confident that John and Marcel will help improve our players and advance the club’s reputation since last summer.

At the end of the 2022-23 season, Ajax finished third in the Eredivisie, winning 14 of Heitinga’s 22 games while in charge.

Heitinga then worked for West Ham from 2023 to 2024 under David Moyes before joining Liverpool in the summer to help them win their second Premier League title during Slot’s first season in charge.

Heitinga, who also played for Fulham, Atletico Madrid, Everton, and Hertha Berlin, said, “I am incredibly excited to start.”