Liverpool midfielder James McConnell signs new deal, set for Ajax loan
A key factor was head coach John Heitinga’s admiration for the England youth international
Liverpool midfielder James McConnell has signed a new five-year contract with the club and is set to join Ajax on loan for the 2025-26 season, according to The Athletic.
The 20-year-old will undergo a medical before completing the move to the Eredivisie side, following an agreement reached between Liverpool and Ajax.
While there was interest from other European clubs and several Championship sides earlier in the transfer window, Ajax secured McConnell’s signature.
A key factor was head coach John Heitinga’s admiration for the England youth international.
Heitinga, who previously worked with McConnell at Liverpool, identified the midfielder as a solution in midfield following Jordan Henderson’s departure.
Heitinga had served as assistant to Liverpool head coach Arne Slot last season before moving to Ajax.
Ipswich Town, who had also shown interest in former Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton before his move to Lyon, along with Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion, Hull City, Oxford United, and Austrian club Sturm Graz, were all reportedly interested in McConnell over the summer.
Liverpool ultimately decided Ajax was the right destination, thanks to the club’s swift negotiations, the chance for McConnell to gain European football experience, and Heitinga’s first-hand knowledge of Slot’s methodology.
The academy graduate is considered a future first-team player at Anfield.
McConnell rose through Liverpool’s academy and impressed on his Champions League debut away to PSV Eindhoven in January, drawing attention from other clubs.
While a loan was initially considered to aid his development, Slot was sufficiently impressed to include him in the first-team squad.
The new contract keeps McConnell at Liverpool until June 2030, with the midfielder set to spend the upcoming season on loan at Ajax before returning in the summer of 2026.
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