It was in 2009. On September 1, hours after the transfer market closed in Spain, Atlético de Madrid transferred to John heitinga to Everton. In England the deadline ended that day. The Dutchman, who had arrived a year earlier at the Manzanares from Ajax for 10 million euros, he started the previous Sunday at La Rosaleda, where the rojiblanco team fell to the Malaga (3-0). He landed at the Calderón with the band of best player in the Dutch championship.
He Everton paid around seven million, three less than what Atlético had paid a year earlier, for a footballer who had played 37 official matches with the rojiblanca and who entered into the plans of Abel Resino, mattress coach at that time. The season began convulsed and months later, the Velada was dismissed. The course ended, yes, winning the Europa League in Hamburg, although the performance in the League was not the best.
The transfer provoked the anger of the fans, who christened it ‘Heitingada'. Something that has been flying over every market close ever since. A year later, on August 31, 2010, and after playing and scoring against Sporting at the Calderón, Atlético made official the transfer of the Jurado to the Schalke, in an offer that both parties considered irrefutable.
And this year, on the horn, it has been Thomas Partey the one who leaves Atlético de Madrid. Arsenal paid the Ghanaian's termination clause, of 50 million euros. Two days earlier, the midfielder had started the goalless draw against Villarreal at the Metropolitano.