Ajax Sign Femke Liefting on Loan from Chelsea
Ajax have moved to strengthen their goalkeeping department with the loan signing of Chelsea stopper Femke Liefting for the 2026/27 campaign, handing the Dutch youngster a return to familiar ground at a crucial stage of her development.
The deal, confirmed by Ajax on their official channels on Friday morning, sends the 21-year-old back to the Azerion Vrouwen Eredivisie after an 18‑month spell in England that promised much but was repeatedly interrupted by injury.
Back to where it all began
For Liefting, this is more than a simple loan. It is a reset.
She first emerged at VV Alkmaar, where her composure and shot-stopping quickly marked her out as one of the most interesting young keepers in the Dutch game. A move to AZ followed in 2023, a short hop geographically but a significant step in profile. Her performances there pushed her firmly onto the radar of clubs abroad.
Chelsea, reigning Barclays Women’s Super League champions, made their move in January 2025. The transfer looked like the classic fast-track route: a young Dutch goalkeeper, already tested in the Eredivisie, joining one of Europe’s most competitive squads.
Then came the setbacks. A foot problem, a hip issue, and the rhythm of her rise was broken.
She did manage to find minutes with a loan spell at Newcastle United last season, picking up valuable match experience in England, but never quite built the uninterrupted run that a goalkeeper of her age needs.
Ajax bet on potential and pedigree
Ajax are gambling that the talent which took Liefting from Alkmaar to London is still right there, waiting for a clear run of games.
“Femke is a talented goalkeeper who has already proven her quality in the Vrouwen Eredivisie,” said technical manager Dolf Roks after the deal was announced. “She also gained valuable experience at the highest level during her time at Chelsea, where she continued to develop. We are delighted that she will add experience and quality to our squad for the coming season.”
It is a pointed move from Ajax: a club that prides itself on youth development turning to a Dutch international prospect who has already tasted life inside an elite WSL dressing room. She knows the Eredivisie. She knows the demands at Chelsea. That blend is rare at 21.
For Liefting, the equation is simple. She needs games. Regular, unforgiving, competitive minutes. Ajax can offer a platform she understands, in a league she has already mastered once, with the added edge that every performance will be watched closely back in London.
Chelsea keep the long view
Crucially, Chelsea have not cut ties. Liefting remains under contract at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2028, a clear signal that the English champions still see long-term value in her profile.
This loan, then, is not an exit route. It is a detour designed to get her back to full speed.
If she finds her form again in Amsterdam, Chelsea get back a goalkeeper hardened by setbacks, sharpened by a full season as a frontline option, and still years away from her peak. If she excels, Ajax gain a commanding presence for the campaign and, perhaps, a benchmark for what their own young keepers must reach.
For now, though, the task is straightforward. A 21-year-old Dutch goalkeeper, once fast-tracked to one of Europe’s superclubs, steps back into the Eredivisie with a point to prove and a season to reclaim.
