A FORMER Premier League star has had his contract with a Champions League giant ripped up two years early.
John Heitinga, 39, starred for Everton and Fulham during a glittering playing career.
Ajax have ripped up the contract of interim boss John Heitinga
The former Dutch defender starred for Everton
And he received his first shot at management in January when former club Ajax came calling.
Heitinga was already Ajax B boss before Edwin van der Sar offered him the top role.
Erik ten Hag’s successor Alfred Schreuder was sacked after seven games without a win.
And Heitinga, already on a deal until 2025, was tasked with chasing down Feyenoord on a contract as interim boss for the remainder of the campaign.
However, Ajax’s season went from bad to worse as they eventually finished third, six points off PSV and 13 off eventual champions Feyenoord.
Reports claimed Heitinga faced an anxious wait over his future.
And his fate was sealed on Wednesday when Sparta Rotterdam boss Maurice Steijn was announced as Ajax’s new manager.
But the capital club today announced Heitinga has completely severed ties by ending his original contract on July 1 – two years earlier than originally agreed.
Sparta Rotterdam’s Maurice Steijn has already been confirmed as the new Ajax boss
It means there will be no return for the former defender as Ajax B gaffer.
And Heitinga will now look for a fresh start elsewhere.
An Ajax statement read: “Ajax and John Heitinga have reached a mutual agreement on the termination of his contract.
“The coach’s contract at Ajax ran until June 30, 2025, but will now end on July 1, 2023.
“The club’s management is incredibly grateful for his commitment to the club, hope that the termination of his contract will lead to a suiting continuation of his career somewhere else, and wish him a lot of luck.”
Heitinga first joined Ajax as a kid in 1990 before making his pro debut in 2001.
The 87-time Dutch international played 215 times, winning two titles and three Cups, before earning a move to Atletico Madrid in 2008.
But Heitinga lasted just one season in Spain before joining Everton, where he made 140 appearances in four years.
He then spent a year at Fulham before a sole campaign with Germany’s Hertha Berlin.
Heitinga returned to Ajax in 2015 and played just three times before retiring from playing.
He became Ajax B boss in July 2021 but now finds himself unemployed.
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