Heitinga leaves assistant role with Liverpool to take over at Ajax

Liverpool’s assistant manager John Heitinga has left the club to join Ajax as their head coach ahead of the 2025-26 season.

A former Netherlands international, Heitinga made over 200 appearances with Ajax and won the Eredivisie title twice with them as a player, between 2002 and 2004.

He also had spells as the reserve team coach and interim head coach with the Amsterdam giants, with the latter job coming between January and June 2023.

Following his interim spell at Ajax, Heitinga joined West Ham to assist David Moyes the following September before moving to Liverpool in July 2024 to work under Arne Slot.

The 41-year-old has now signed a two-year contract with Ajax, succeeding the outgoing Francesco Farioli, who left last week after his only season in charge ended with a dramatic collapse.

Ajax were nine points clear at the top of the Eredivisie with seven games remaining, but ultimately finished a point behind eventual winners PSV.

Ajax have won the Dutch title a record 36 times but, following this season, they have now gone three straight years without a trophy.

Of the appointment, Ajax technical director Alex Kroes said: “John is a good coach with enormous drive.

“He is ambitious and has further developed himself over the past few years in the Premier League and Champions League.

“John knows the club well and we are convinced that he, together with [assistant] Marcel Keizer, will help improve our players and build on the progress made since last summer.”

Welcome home, John Heitinga!

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) May 31, 2025