FC Porto: Two New Assistant Coaches Arrive from Ajax for Farioli

FC Porto's technical staff is set for changes ahead of the 2026/2027 season, with two professionals familiar to Farioli arriving from his former club, Ajax. Goalkeeping coach Erik Heijblok and video analyst Liam Helsloot are departing the Amsterdam giants to join the 'Dragons' and Francesco Farioli. The news was initially reported by Voetbal International and confirmed by A BOLA.

At 49 years old, Heijblok concludes an eleven-year association with Ajax. After retiring as a player, he returned to the club in 2015, taking on the role of goalkeeping coach for various youth teams. More recently, between 2022 and 2024, he served both Ajax's reserve squad and the first team.

With this move to the Estádio do Dragão, Heijblok will reunite with familiar faces, including head coach Francesco Farioli and assistant Dave Vos. But Heijblok isn't making the journey to Portugal alone: he's accompanied by video analyst Liam Helsloot, who was signed by the Dutch club in 2022 and had previously worked directly with Farioli.

It remains to be seen whether these new arrivals will lead to departures within FC Porto's current technical setup. Diogo Almeida, a homegrown coach, and Spaniard Iñaki Ulloa are currently responsible for specialized goalkeeping training.