Heitinga's About to Ditch Liverpool for Ajax (And Honestly, I Can't Blame Him)

By Lewis Barnett 28 May, 2025 5 mins read 91 Views

So here's the thing that's got me scratching my head this morning.

John Heitinga - you know, Arne Slot's right-hand guy at Liverpool - is apparently having "advanced talks" with Ajax about becoming their new manager. After just one bloody season at Anfield. The man helped Liverpool win the Premier League title and now he's basically packing his bags to head back to Amsterdam.

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When Your Old Club Comes Knocking

Look, I get it. Ajax isn't just any club for Heitinga - it's home. The 41-year-old played there, coached their youth teams, and even had a decent run as interim manager back in 2023. Won 14 out of 22 games, which honestly isn't terrible for someone thrown into the deep end.

But the timing feels... weird?

Liverpool just wrapped up a championship season, and now they're losing one of the key architects behind their success. Fabrizio Romano (because of course it's Romano breaking this) says the talks are already pretty far along. Liverpool have even given permission for these conversations, which tells you everything about how this is going to end.

Francesco Farioli's Epic Meltdown

Here's where it gets juicy. Ajax needs a new manager because Francesco Farioli just had what can only be described as a spectacular collapse. The Italian had a nine-point lead with five games left in the season and somehow managed to blow the title. Nine points! With five games!

Poor guy lasted exactly one year before throwing in the towel. His resignation letter probably just said "I'm sorry" in seventeen different languages.

That's the mess Heitinga would be walking into. A club that's forgotten how to close out a season, players who probably need therapy, and fans who are questioning everything they thought they knew about football.

The Moyes Connection (Plot Twist Nobody Saw Coming)

What's funny is how Heitinga ended up at Liverpool in the first place. He was working under David Moyes at West Ham - and when Moyes got the boot last summer, Heitinga followed him out the door. Slot swooped in immediately, probably thinking he'd found the perfect assistant.

Turns out he was right, just not for as long as he hoped.

I remember watching that Newcastle match where Slot was suspended and Heitinga took over on the touchline. Guy looked completely comfortable, like he'd been managing at that level for years. Maybe that's when Ajax started paying attention.

What This Actually Means

Liverpool are already hunting for Heitinga's replacement, which suggests they know this is happening whether they like it or not. Can't really blame them for being pragmatic about it.

But here's what bothers me: Heitinga spent one season helping build something special at Liverpool, and now he's walking away just as things are getting really interesting. Sure, Ajax is his spiritual home or whatever, but timing matters in football.

Then again, maybe that's exactly why he needs to go now. Ajax is a mess, and if he can fix them, his stock goes through the roof. If he stays at Liverpool as an assistant, he's always going to be "Slot's guy" rather than his own man.

Smart career move? Probably. Loyal? Eh... that's debatable.

Either way, this summer just got a lot more interesting for both clubs.

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Did you miss our previous article...
https://sportingexcitement.com/premier-league/how-arsenal-completely-screwed-themselves-this-season-and-i-called-it-in-august