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Liverpool Gives John Heitinga Green Light to Negotiate with Ajax

Liverpool has allowed John Heitinga enter into talks with Ajax regarding a return to the club as head coach, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claims. Ajax are also on the lookout for a manager after the departure of Francesco Farioli.

As assistant coach to Arne Slot at Liverpool last season, Heitinga helped guide the team to an emphatic national title win earlier this month. Romano writes that Liverpool is already thinking about replacing him as assistant boss.

Heitinga's History with Ajax
Heitinga has close links with Ajax, where he played and coached. He had previously coached in Ajax's youth academy, worked as the head coach at Jong Ajax, and had a brief spell as head coach in 2023 after Alfred Schreuder was sacked. With him Ajax ended third in the Eredivisie and played in the KNVB Cup final which the team and he himself lost with penalty kicks against PSV.

Heitinga had performed well but Ajax opted not to renew his contract at the end of the season. Since then, the team has hired Maurice Steijn as head coach by their then-director Sven Mislintat.

Coaching Career Abroad
After departing from Ajax, Heitinga took over as an assistant coach at West Ham United in September 2023. He then joined Liverpool in the summer of 2024 to further his coaching career in the English top flight.

Ajax also considered re-hiring Erik ten Hag, but he recently signed with Bayer Leverkusen and won't return to Amsterdam for the time being.