Liverpool have given John Heitinga permission to speak to Ajax, and Arne Slot believes it would be a smart choice for the Dutch side.
That’s [according to ESPN](https://www.espn.nl/voetbal/artikel/_/id/15242012/slot-laat-heitinga-praten-met-ajax-hij-is-klaar-voor-de-job), who cover the situation and point out comments from the Liverpool manager made to them last Friday.
Heitinga appears to be the leading candidate to replace Francesco Farioli at Ajax this summer, with the Dutch side eyeing him as part of a new management team alongside Marcel Keizer. He’s jumped to the front of the queue after Erik ten Hag joined Bayer Leverkusen.
Liverpool have now given their assistant manager permission to speak to his former club about a return this summer.
That would suggest that Slot has given his approval of the move, even though it would mean losing an assistant he’s spoken highly of throughout this season.
He brought Heitinga to Liverpool last summer, handing the former defender a second spell in coaching in England after his time with David Moyes at West Ham.
Now Heitinga could be set to depart, something which Slot is seemingly sitting on the fence about.
_“If Ajax is smart, they should consider him. He is ready for a job like this. If John is smart, however, he will stay here for another year,”_ he said when asked about the idea last Friday.