Ajax Amsterdam have officially parted ways with head coach John Heitinga following a disastrous run of results, the Dutch club confirmed in an official statement.

The decision came after a humiliating 0–3 home defeat to Galatasaray in the fourth round of the UEFA Champions League group stage. The loss was Ajax’s fourth straight in the competition, leaving the four-time European champions bottom of their group with zero points.

In the Eredivisie, Ajax currently sit fourth in the standings, eight points behind leaders Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven. The club’s inconsistent domestic form, combined with its European struggles, ultimately sealed Heitinga’s fate.

Heitinga, a former Ajax defender and Dutch international, had joined the coaching staff at Liverpool last season as assistant to Arne Slot. He took over the Ajax managerial role in the summer, hoping to restore stability to his boyhood club — but his tenure has now come to an abrupt end.