Written by
Simon Austin
May 31, 2025
Liverpool First Team Coach John Heitinga has left the club after a year to become Head Coach of Ajax.
The 41-year-old former Netherlands international moved to Anfield in July 2024 to join Arne Slot’s backroom staff and helped them win the Premier League title in his only season.
He has a long association with Ajax, having come through the youth ranks at the club before making 218 first-team appearances for them.
After retiring from playing in 2016, he joined the coaching ranks at the club, leading their Under-19s and Reserves before taking charge of the First Team for the second half of 2022/23 following the dismissal of Alfred Schreuder.
During that spell, he oversaw 14 victories in 22 matches. After Ajax he served on the first-team staff at West Ham under David Moyes, before joining Liverpool and helping them win the title.
The former centre-back, who won 87 caps for the Netherlands, took charge of Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Newcastle United in February, when Slot and Assistant Sipke Hulshoff were serving suspensions.
At Ajax, he is replacing Francesco Farioli as Head Coach after the Amsterdam giants narrowly missed out on this season’s Eredivisie title to PSV Eindhoven.
Liverpool do not have a replacement for Heitinga lined up, but are in the process of recruiting one.
Follow Us
For latest updates, follow us on X at @ground_guru
