Ex-Everton defender joins Arne Slot's Liverpool backroom team

Former Everton defender John Heitinga has returned to Merseyside, joining new Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s coaching staff.

Heitinga spent five years at Everton as a player between 2009 and 2014, and recently worked under former Toffees boss David Moyes as assistant coach at West Ham.

Prior to that, the Dutchman had a short spell as interim head coach at Ajax, where he won 14 of his 22 matches in charge, before leaving in the summer of 2023.

The 40-year-old will now work alongside his compatriot Slot at Anfield, who has already brought Sipe Hulshoff from Feyenoord as his assistant, Ruben Peeters as head of performance, Fabian Otte as head of goalkeeping and Aaron Briggs as first-team individual development coach.