Although the 26-year-old is looking for some stability with a club who have had the same manager for over seven-and-a-half years, he reveals life was never dull in the Spanish capital.

Heitinga said: “Atletico have again parted company with another manager.

“If I had stayed in Madrid, I would have worked with a third coach in one-and-a-half years.

“I played with Sergio Agüero, the son-in-law of Diego Maradona, which did not go unnoticed.

“Diego would often attend the training sessions. When I saw him for the first time I thought ‘Is it really him?’

“I shook hands with him immediately. I think Maradona has been a wonderful player, in spite of all the stories that you hear about him.

“I saw him recently go wild as he ran up the touchline to perform a theatrical dive, sliding across the waterlogged pitch. I’ve never ever seen a coach perform like that before!”

Having experienced a year in La Liga, Heitinga was glad to make the switch to the Premier League – a division he considers hard but fair which is just the way he likes to play the game.

He said: “I’ve become a better defender, in particular in the Premier League.

“I meet tall and strong strikers every week, which is different from Spain.

“I am 1.80m tall (5ft 11in), which does not make me the tallest Premier League defender. In Spain, I was one of the tallest, though.

“You must be physically strong to survive in England. They keep the ball low in Spain, whereas they pull up their sleeves and tighten their muscles in England.

“I never come through a game unscathed. I pick up knocks every game, but I hasten to add that I am not only on the receiving end.”

In recent years, the Merseyside derbies has produced more yellow and red cards than any other Premier League fixture but Heitinga added: “I know how to commit the odd foul as well.

“You will find ‘killers and murderers’ in Spain.

“The Premier League is more about fair play.

“Never moan, commit a foul and shake hands. I’ve never complained to a referee yet about foul play.”

While Heitinga is set to experience a Merseyside derby for the first time this weekend, his former Ajax team-mate Ryan Babel, who could be lining up against him, is now in his third season at Anfield.

The forward’s latest vent of frustration about his in-and-out role in the first team led to the 22-year-old having to explain another outburst to manager Rafael Benitez this week but Babel insists he just wants to play.

Like his old pal from Amsterdam, Babel has also been given lessons in colour co-ordination from Merseysiders and has been told not to wear his blue boots in the derby.

He said: “They’ve persuaded me not to do so.

“Blue is the colour of Everton, the other club in town.

“Liverpool and Everton are rivals but I don’t feel any hatred.

“The crowd are noisy at the game but after the whistle everybody goes his own way.

“I think the hate is more directed at Manchester United, because they are so successful.”