Fabrizio Romano has dropped a fresh exit update at Liverpool, with the Reds now looking increasingly “likely” to lose a key figure this summer.
There have been so many important people who have helped Arne Slot’s side win the Premier League title this season, not least the boss himself.
World-class players such as Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have been as good as ever, while many others have also delivered at important moments.
Johnny Heitinga has proven to be an excellent assistant to Slot, with the former Everton man making it clear where his allegiances lie on Merseyside now.
It looks as though the Dutchman could be on his way out of Liverpool this summer, however, with Romano taking to X to say that the club have granted him permission to talk to Ajax about taking charge there:
“EXCL: Liverpool gives permission to John Heitinga for talks with Ajax as negotiations to become the new head coach are advanced. Liverpool have begun the process of looking at replacements if the Heitinga deal goes through, as looks likely.”
A shame to lose a key backroom figure
Heitinga has enjoyed a great first season at Liverpool, no doubt playing his part behind the scenes, making an impact on the training pitch.
For that reason, Liverpool losing him in the summer would be a shame, considering the rapport he and Slot have, with the Reds’ head coach discussing him becoming Ajax boss earlier this season and also praising him:
“At Liverpool they see that Heitinga does a good job. The fact that Sven Mislintat did not choose Heitinga as head coach at the time and that he therefore left Ajax for that reason, Liverpool now benefits from that. They apparently did not realize in Amsterdam that they had an excellent trainer in-house.”
Ultimately, though, Heitinga may want to return to management, having already worked at Jong Ajax and Ajax in the past, so it is hard to begrudge him a move back to the Eredivisie giants.
Slot will hopefully have an ideal successor lined up – one who can have a similar impact to the 41-year-old at Anfield, helping Liverpool achieve more success.
