Real Madrid is reportedly close to signing 20-year-old central defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. According to various reports, the Spanish club is currently finalizing the details with the player`s representatives after agreeing to meet his $50 million release clause.
Huijsen is considered a promising young talent in European football. Just last season, he moved from Juventus to the English side for approximately $15 million. A year later, he appears set for a major move to Real Madrid. The Spanish club is anticipated to undergo significant changes this summer. The article mentions Carlo Ancelotti is expected to leave for the Brazil national team job starting May 26, with club president Florentino Perez likely to announce Xabi Alonso, a former Real Madrid player, as the new manager.
With Xabi Alonso reportedly taking over ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, Real Madrid is expected to be active in the transfer market in the coming weeks. Potential early moves mentioned are for Huijsen and Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is reported to be joining on a free transfer.
Several clubs were reportedly interested in signing Huijsen this summer, which is understandable given his performances. In his debut Premier League season, he demonstrated his abilities, scoring three goals. Clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal were mentioned as potential suitors before Real Madrid entered the pursuit for the former Juventus player.
Early career
Born in Amsterdam in 2005, Huijsen acquired Spanish citizenship in 2024 and chose to represent Spain internationally, reportedly making his senior debut in March 2025. At age five, he relocated with his family to Marbella, Spain, where he began playing football before joining the Malaga academy.
In 2021, at 16, he moved to Juventus in Italy, initially for the U-17 team, but quickly progressed to play for Juventus Next Gen (the reserve team) in Serie C. During the 2023-24 season, Juventus first-team manager Massimiliano Allegri occasionally included him, leading to his senior debut in Serie A against AC Milan in October 2023.
This match turned out to be his only official senior appearance for Juventus. In January 2024, he was loaned to AS Roma at the suggestion of then-coach Jose Mourinho. Ahead of the transfer, Mourinho publicly praised him, stating:
Dean Huijsen has 10 minutes of football in the Serie A, but he`s one of the biggest prospects in football. He will be a very great player in the future.
Mourinho`s tenure ended shortly after, but his successor, Daniele De Rossi, also showed faith in Huijsen. He featured in 14 games for Roma by the season`s end, scoring twice. Returning to Juventus in the summer of 2024, he was subsequently sold to Bournemouth in July, joining the Premier League for the 2024-25 campaign.
Huijsen`s strengths
Huijsen is described as a modern, aggressive defender who is proactive in stepping out of the defensive line to intercept passes or engage attackers before they receive the ball. Standing tall at 6-foot-6, he effectively uses his height in aerial duels, achieving a 59.3% success rate in the Premier League season mentioned, ranking him highly among defenders in this area. His modern style also allows him to occasionally track forwards into midfield, fitting well with an aggressive tactical approach, similar to Xabi Alonso`s setup at Bayer Leverkusen.
He is comfortable on the ball with both feet. His pass completion rate is reported as the highest among Bournemouth players with more than two Premier League starts (84.3%). This ball-playing ability makes him valuable in the build-up phase, potentially bypassing the midfield with his distribution.
Huijsen`s weaknesses
Given his youth, there are areas for development. Discipline is one, as his aggressive style led to six yellow cards in the Premier League season mentioned, five for tactical fouls. He also ranked third in the league for total fouls (90). While he adapted well to the Premier League`s physicality, improvements in speed could be beneficial, as he might be vulnerable occasionally against a high defensive line, a tactic Xabi Alonso might employ.
Despite areas for growth, he is considered quite mature for his age and professional experience. There is significant potential for a successful career at Real Madrid, particularly under a coach like Xabi Alonso, known for developing young talent in Germany.
How he fits in at Real Madrid
Real Madrid is anticipated to reinforce their defense this summer, especially at center-back, where they might look to sign at least two players. This follows issues with defensive depth and availability during the previous season, where players like Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal missed significant time due to injury.
Due to defensive shortages, Ancelotti was forced to use midfielders like Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga in unconventional roles. The manager also relied on Raul Asencio, who debuted this season and frequently partnered Antonio Rudiger, while Jesus Vallejo was a limited backup, appearing in only two La Liga matches for a total of 36 minutes.
Based on these factors, Huijsen is expected to be an important player under Xabi Alonso. However, his exact playing time may depend on other defensive signings Real Madrid makes this summer.
