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Ajax's newly recruited player, Jordan Henderson gives a press conference during his official presentation at the ArenA in Amsterdam(Image: ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

One of John Heitinga’s first acts as Ajax head coach could be axing former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.

The Dutchman stood down from his position as Reds assistant coach earlier this month to return to the Eredivisie giants and take up his first permanent senior managerial role.

Ajax will be looking to bounce back under the 41-year-old after suffering a heart-breaking end to the Eredivisie season.

While they finished second in the table and secured Champions League qualification, they ended up missing out on the league title to PSV Eindhoven by a solitary point after a monumental collapse during the final weeks of the season.

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Ajax had been nine points clear of their rivals with five games to go, but surrendered top spot after being thrashed by Utrecht and NEC, needing a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 with Sparta Rotterdam and conceding a 99th minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at FC Groningen.

They would return to winning ways on the final day of the season, with captain Henderson scoring his first goal for the club in a 2-0 victory over FC Twente.

But PSV’s 3-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam sealed the title at Ajax’s expense.

Head coach Francesco Farioli subsequently stood down, with Ajax moving quickly to bring in Heitinga - who previously served as interim manager during the 2022/23 season - to replace him.

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And now the Dutchman looks to offload captain Henderson as Ajax look to get his wages off the wage-bill.

The former Liverpool skipper is reportedly not part of Heitinga’s plans, with the Mirror reporting that Ajax are hoping that Sunderland are interested in signing their former academy graduate following their promotion to the Premier League.

Ajax are desperate to get Henderson’s £100,000-a-week salary off the books, and had been in talks to sell the midfielder to AS Monaco back in January.

However, the midfielder ultimately ended up staying put in the Netherlands.

Henderson would then snap at reporters as he hit back at 'disrespectful lies' about his position at the club.

Meanwhile, the Eredivise giants are reportedly in talks to re-sign club legend Dusan Tadic, with Heitinga said to be intending to instill the Serb as captain at Henderson’s expense.

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Henderson left Liverpool in the summer of 2023 as he completed a controversial £12m transfer to Al-Ettifaq.

However, he cancelled his contract with the Saudi Pro League side after just half a season to return to Europe with Ajax.