Jordan Henderson may be facing an uncertain future at Ajax, with new manager John Heitinga reportedly leaving the former Liverpool captain out of his plans. Heitinga recently left his role as assistant coach at Liverpool to take charge of Ajax, stepping into his first full-time senior management role.
Ajax are aiming to recover from a disappointing end to their Eredivisie campaign. Despite leading the league by nine points with five matches remaining, they lost their grip on the title after heavy defeats to Utrecht and NEC, a late 1-1 draw with Sparta Rotterdam, and a dramatic 99th-minute equaliser conceded in a 2-2 draw with FC Groningen.
The club ended the season on a high note with a 2-0 win over FC Twente, where Henderson scored his first goal for Ajax. However, it wasn’t enough to clinch the title, as PSV’s 3-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam secured them the championship.
Following this, head coach Francesco Farioli stepped down, and Heitinga was appointed as his successor. Now, Heitinga appears to be planning a squad overhaul, which could include offloading Henderson to reduce the wage bill. Reports suggest Ajax are hoping newly promoted Sunderland, where Henderson began his career, might be interested in bringing him back.
Ajax are eager to remove Henderson’s £100,000-per-week salary and previously explored a potential move to AS Monaco in January, although that transfer never materialized. Additionally, the club is reportedly in talks to bring back Dusan Tadic, with Heitinga potentially naming the Serbian as captain in place of Henderson.
Henderson joined Ajax in early 2024 after cutting short a controversial stint at Saudi club Al-Ettifaq, where he had moved from Liverpool in a £12 million deal just six months earlier
