Arne Slot has already reacted as Liverpool man secures exit - 'Not smart'

has already given his verdict on John Heitinga's prospective appointment as Ajax's head coach. The former Everton man was part of the coaching team at Anfield who helped deliver the club's record-equalling 20th league title.

However, less than a week since the Reds lifted the Premier League title in front of the Anfield crowd, Heitinga is being tipped to leave Liverpool in search of pastures new. It's reported by several sources that to become the new Ajax manager.

Ajax suffered a humiliating end to the campaign by throwing away a nine-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie table, allowing PSV Eindhoven to swoop in and steal the title from under their nose. Farioli's departure was all but confirmed fewer than 24 hours after the final match of the season, forcing the four-time European champions to go in search of a new manager.

They appear to have landed on Heitinga, who spent close to 10 years across two different spells at Ajax as a player and also managed the club for 22 matches on an interim basis in 2023. The pair are set to rekindle their relationship, with an announcement on Heitinga's appointment due to arrive in the coming days.

Although incumbent Reds boss Slot - perhaps unsurprisingly - doesn't think Heitinga is making the right decision. Speaking in an interview with The Times, he said: "If Ajax would be smart, they would consider him. He is ready to take on a job like that. If John is smart, he would stay one more season."

A brutal assessment of Ajax's current status, but one that could be considered tongue-in-cheek, given Slot's previous connection with fellow Dutch giants, Feyenoord. However, it wouldn't be the first time Slot has called out Ajax for not pursuing Heitinga earlier.

Referencing the interim spell Heitinga had in Amsterdam, Slot told Algemeen Dagblad: "That Sven Mislintat [then director of football at Ajax] did not choose Heitinga as head coach at the time - and that he left Ajax for that reason - Liverpool is now profiting from that. Apparently they did not realise in Amsterdam that they had an excellent coach in-house."

Liverpool are unlucky to benefit a second time around, with Ajax seemingly correcting their previous mistake by making Heitinga the main man. It will leave Slot with the unwanted task of finding a replacement over the summer.