Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported the news on Wednesday. Ajax reportedly keep their minds and eyes open for other candidates, but the board is "hopeful" about the arrival of Heitinga and Keizer.
Ajax's plan is to make Heitinga the duo's 'figurehead' and Keizer the supportive factor. Ajax want the pair to execute an 'Arne Slot vision'. Heitinga and Keizer have both worked with Slot during their careers—Heitinga at Liverpool and Keizer as Slot's boss at Cambuur, where Slot was Keizer's assistant and formed his vision.
The 41-year-old Heitinga is currently one of Arne Slot's assistants at Premier League champions Liverpool, but the board has reportedly given him permission to negotiate with his former employers.
In his two periods at the club, Heitinga played 218 games for Ajax before starting as a coach in the club's youth ranks. Following Alfred Schreuder's dismissal in January 2023, Heitinga took over as the caretaker manager and after winning his first seven league games in charge, the former defender led the club to a third-place finish, 13 points behind champions Feyenoord. After Sven Mislintat's arrival as technical director, the failed German executive quickly showed Heitinga the door.
Keizer
Just like Heitinga, Marcel Keizer is a known name within Ajax. The 56-year-old managed Jong Ajax during the successful 2016/17 season, in which the young reserves finished second in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football. Following the departure of Peter Bosz, Keizer became the successor of the current PSV manager, who made the Europa League final with Ajax in 2017.
Keizer lasted half a season with the Amsterdam side, but didn't have it easy during those six months. The club were shocked by Abdelhak Nouri's collapse during a pre-season game in Austria, and Ajax failed to qualify for a European competition after getting knocked out by OGC Nice and FK Rosenborg in the Champions League and Europa League.
After getting eliminated in the KNVB Beker on penalties by FC Twente, Keizer was fired and replaced by Erik ten Hag in December 2018.
Keizer went on to manage Abu Dhabi side Al-Jazira twice and Portuguese champions Sporting Portugal during the 2018/19 season. After getting fired by Saudi side Al-Shabab in September 2023, Keizer has been without a job.