For a club like Ajax, being able to bring in fresh blood on a regular basis is a sure-fire way to be able to ensure that the club keeps moving forward. The club has qualified for the Champions League again this season, where de Godenzonen will take part in the new league format drawn up in accordance with the Swiss system.
As a result, the Dutch side will need to ensure that the squad is capable of competing on several fronts, as is the expectation put onto John Heitinga’s squad for the forthcoming season. Supporters now know who they’ll face in European competition as they welcome the arrival of James McConnell on loan from Liverpool.
McConnell Signs Loan Deal
A few days ago, news emerged that Ajax looked set to sign Liverpool midfielder James McConnell on a season-long loan. The talented young player signed a new contract with the Reds, showing the faith that Arne Slot has got in him. Just because the Reds boss obviously rates him, however, doesn’t mean that McConnell is the finished article, which might help to explain why a deal was agreed to see the midfielder head to the Johan Cruyff ArenA.
It wasn’t just Ajax who were after his signature either, with numerous different clubs from across Europe hoping to be able to persuade him to sign for them.
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Of course, Ajax had one thing that the other clubs couldn’t boast, which is a direct tie to Anfield in the form of Slot’s previous assistant, Heitinga. The pair worked together last season, so Heitinga knows that McConnell has what it takes to be able to step into the number six berth that has been vacated by Jordan Henderson.
The likes of Ipswich Town, West Bromwich Albion and Hull City were all keen on keeping McConnell in England, but the youngster has decided that getting some experience abroad along with working with his former coach is the right decision for his future.
Ajax Ideal for McConnell’s Development
It has been decided by Liverpool that Ajax is the ideal place for McConnell to continue to grow and learn as a footballer. There are high hopes from the Anfield hierarchy that the youngster will be able to continue his development in order to challenge the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis MacAllister in the Liverpool midfield in the future.
Proving himself as capable of taking on a role at a club that will be hoping to challenge for the Eredivisie title this season is exactly the right move for him, with the Newcastle-born player having joined the club from Sunderland back in 2019.
McConnell already has experience of winning silverware, having come off the bench in Liverpool’s League Cup win over Chelsea back in 2024. That was under the club’s previous manager, Jürgen Klopp, who was replaced by Arne Slot later that summer.
Slot, for his part, had planned to send McConnell on loan last season before an ankle injury meant that he had to stay put. He was then used in Liverpool’s game against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, where his commanding performance led Slot to decide to keep him around the squad for the rest of the campaign.
Ajax’s Champions League Draw
McConnell’s Champions League experience with Liverpool might well be part of the reason why Heitinga has decided to bring him to the Johan Cruyff ArenA for the forthcoming campaign. The draw for the group stage of the competition has been done, seeing de Godenzonen given some tricky teams to go up against alongside what might be considered to be some more straightforward ones.
The two toughest ties are unquestionably against the Premier League side Chelsea, who won the Club World Cup in the summer, and last year’s losing finalists in Inter Milan. Here is how the draw looks:
| Match Day | Opposition | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inter Milan | Johan Cruyff ArenA |
| 2 | Olympique Marseille | Stade Vélodrome |
| 3 | Chelsea | Stamford Bridge |
| 4 | Galatasaray | Johan Cruyff ArenA |
| 5 | Benfica | Johan Cruyff ArenA |
| 6 | Qarabağ FK | Azersun Arena |
| 7 | Villarreal | Estadio de la Cerámica |
| 8 | Olympiacos | Johan Cruyff ArenA |
In terms of how the draw looks from an Ajax point of view, it is something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, having to play losing finalists Inter Milan at home is certainly better than needing to travel to Italy, whilst the same is true of managing to avoid the harsh atmospheres of Olympiacos and Galatasaray.
Sadly, though, the travel involved to face Azerbaijan champions Qarabağ FK is far from ideal, whilst it also isn’t perfect that the club has to take on the Club World Cup champions Chelsea on their home turf. At the same time, de Godenzonen have avoided big guns like Real Madrid and McConnell’s home club of Liverpool.