Amsterdam: Ajax announced the appointment of John Heitinga as the new head coach on Saturday, with the 41-year-old former player signing a contract through mid-2027. Heitinga takes over from Francesco Farioli, who unexpectedly departed after just one season.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Farioli led Ajax to recover from a disappointing 2023-2024 season, positioning them nine points ahead of PSV with five rounds remaining in the Dutch top flight. Despite this lead, Ajax faltered in the final phase, allowing reigning champion PSV to finish first once more.

Heitinga, who previously served as an assistant coach at West Ham United and Liverpool, won the Premier League title under head coach Arne Slot. Before his time in England, he had a brief stint as interim head coach of Ajax in 2023. Heitinga expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating he is eager to continue as a head coach at Ajax.

Ajax's technical director, Alex Kroes, praised Heitinga as a coach with significant drive. He noted that Heitinga has developed his skills in both the Premier League and the Champions League over the past few years.

After retiring in 2016, Heitinga held various coaching roles at Ajax, including serving as assistant coach for Marcel Keizer in the second team. Keizer will now join Heitinga as his assistant with the first team.