John Heitinga leaves Liverpool to take Ajax manager role

Ajax have hired John Heitinga as their new manager, with the Liverpool assistant replacing Francesco Farioli.

Farioli left the club after a dramatic collapse in the Eredivisie title race as Ajax squandered a nine-point lead over PSV with just five games remaining.

The Dutch giants have turned to Heitinga, who returns to the club he played 154 league games for, and briefly managed. Heitinga was interim boss for six months in 2023, helping to secure a third-place league finish.

Heitinga, who started his coaching career in Ajax’s youth ranks, has been an assistant at West Ham United and Liverpool since his last spell in the Netherlands. He leaves Liverpool after a Premier League triumph, and Arne Slot will now be looking for a new first-team coach.