'He will definitely stay': Liverpool man's agent shuts down talk of Anfield exit and confirms he's going nowhere
01/04/2025 05:00 AM
Liverpool are currently in danger of losing some of their most important players during the January transfer market.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah all now free to speak to clubs outside of Britain, there are nerves surrounding all three of their futures.
In the cases of Van Dijk and Salah, those worries are more in relation to summer exits, it must be said.
But there is a very real possibility that Alexander-Arnold leaves for Real Madrid this month.
‘The big three’ are not the only ones at Liverpool being heavily linked with mid-season moves away, though. Reds assistant coach John Heitinga has been filling the column inches recently, too.
After suggestions that Heitinga is being considered at West Brom as their new manager, the 41-year-old’s agent has spoken out to put an end to the rumours.
John Heitinga staying with Liverpool
Heitinga has been a really valuable addition to the Liverpool coaching staff.
Highly-rated, young and clearly set for a future as a number one, Arne Slot has raved about Heitinga at every chance he’s been given.
As a result, it felt as though a January exit to West Brom would be a real blow for Slot and Liverpool.
Thankfully, however, Heitinga’s agent Rob Jansen has spoken to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf to confirm that the former Everton defender will not be leaving Anfield before the end of campaign.
“John will definitely stay at Liverpool this season,” Jansen is quoted as saying.
The paper also report that Liverpool are planning to start new contract talks with Heitinga ‘early in the new year.’
Heitinga’s eventual exit feels inevitable
This is quietly superb news for Liverpool. While Slot clearly deserves most of the credit for the Reds stunning start to the season, Heitinga has undoubtedly played his part.
The former Netherlands international is as highly rated as assistants come and losing such a key cog as Liverpool battle on all fronts this season would have left a big hole.
Nevertheless, as Rousing The Kop exclusively revealed in December, Heitinga does want to be a head coach in the future.
With more jobs likely to come up at the end of this season, it feels inevitable that Liverpool will lose their assistant before long.
Before that happens, though, Johnny the Red has a Premier League title to win.
