Liverpool midfielder James McConnell is likely to return to the club in the January transfer window having found himself out of new Ajax head coach Fred Grim’s plans.
Grim has taken the Ajax job on an interim basis following the dismissal of John Heitinga, with the 60-year-old seeing three wins and three losses from six games so far.
While the Amsterdam club are currently seeking a permanent appointment in the dugout, departing technical director Alex Kroes is set to stay for the winter window.
Part of that will be overseeing a strengthening of the squad partially built in Heitinga’s vision.
Why John Heitinga sacking has cost James McConnell
It was Heitinga who proved instrumental in the loan signing of McConnell at the back end of the summer, with the Dutchman securing a double deal with former club Liverpool having already brought in Vitezslav Jaros.
But while Jaros has returned to the side after injury and helped earn three straight wins, McConnell has not featured for Ajax since a 3-0 loss to Galatasaray on November 5.
That was Heitinga’s final game in charge, with the young midfielder left on the bench for Grim’s first three games before dropping out of the squad entirely.
Ajax have claimed this is due to a lack of match fitness, but ESPN‘s Alain van Hilten and Thijs Zwagerman report that he does not figure in Grim’s plans and is considered likely to be sent back to Liverpool next month.
With no buy option negotiated into McConnell’s loan the expectation is that Ajax will be able to trigger a simple mid-season break clause.
That will free up space in their squad, with signing a new No. 6 seen as their “top priority,” while giving McConnell the opportunity to seek a more regular role elsewhere.
It could be that, if he does return to Liverpool, he could find minutes as part of Arne Slot‘s squad, with the head coach a known admirer of McConnell’s talents.
Who else had interest in James McConnell transfer?
Austrian side Sturm Graz were among those interested in the summer, along with Championship clubs Ipswich, Hull, Derby, Oxford and Hull, while there were also overtures from Germany.
McConnell signed a new five-year contract with the Reds before finalising his switch to Ajax, underlining the club’s belief in a midfielder signed from Sunderland in 2019.
He has played just seven times for Ajax this season, starting once in the Eredivisie and once in the Champions League, with only 219 minutes on the pitch in total.
