Ajax says goodbye to Heitinga and welcomes Bosnian midfielder Tahirovic

The paths of Ajax and John Heitinga are finally parting. The 39-year-old coach’s contract, which runs until mid-2025, will be dissolved as of July 1 of this year, the club announced.

In addition, Ajax reported the arrival of a new player. Benjamin Tahirovic comes over from AS Roma.

Former Ajax player Heitinga was coach of Jong Ajax since the summer of 2021 and finished the season as trainer of the first team since January of this year as interim successor of the sacked Alfred Schreuder. With a third-place finish, Heitinga failed to turn the tide.

Sven Mislintat, Ajax’s director of soccer affairs, decided in early June not to put Heitinga in charge of the group next season. Last Monday, Maurice Steijn was appointed as the new head coach.

“The club management is very grateful to John Heitinga for his commitment to the club and hopes that by dissolving the employment contract the coach can give his career a fitting follow-up elsewhere and wishes him every success in doing so,” Ajax reported in a statement.

The 20-year-old Tahirovic had a contract at Roma until 2026, costing Ajax an undisclosed transfer fee. The Bosnian international was born in Sweden and began his professional career with Sweden’s Vasalunds IF. He transferred to Roma in 2021. This season he played 11 games in Serie A.

“Benjamin is a strong and ball-fast midfielder,” Mislintat explained. “He is a great talent with a great mentality. In a few days he will come to Amsterdam for the medical examination and to finalize the contractual matters with us.”