Real Madrid has officially completed the signing of 20-year-old center-back Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. The Spanish club finalized terms with the player`s representatives and agreed to pay his $50 million release clause. Huijsen, considered a promising young talent in European football, has signed a contract that runs until the summer of 2030. Just last season, he transferred from Juventus to the English club for approximately $15 million. A year later, he`s taking a significant step by joining Real Madrid. The club is preparing for further major squad changes this summer, with Xabi Alonso expected to take over as manager before the FIFA Club World Cup.
Huijsen`s arrival follows interest from several other major clubs this summer, including Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal, who were impressed by his performance in his debut Premier League season, where he even scored three goals. Real Madrid ultimately accelerated their move to secure the former Juventus player. Here is a profile of Dean Huijsen:
Early Career
Born in Amsterdam in 2005, Huijsen moved to Marbella, Spain, with his family at the age of five and began playing football there before joining the Malaga academy. In 2024, he acquired Spanish citizenship and chose to represent Spain internationally, making his senior debut in March 2025. At 16, in 2021, he joined Juventus in Italy, initially for the U17 squad but quickly progressed to their second team in the third division. Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri occasionally included him in the first team during the 2023-24 season, and he made his Serie A debut against AC Milan in October 2023 – his only official first-team appearance for Juventus.
In January 2024, he was loaned to AS Roma at the recommendation of then-coach Jose Mourinho. Mourinho praised him as “one of the biggest prospects in football” despite his limited senior experience. Although Mourinho was soon replaced by Daniele De Rossi, De Rossi showed faith in Huijsen, who played 14 games and scored two goals for Roma by the end of the season. Returning to Juventus in summer 2024, he was sold to Bournemouth in July for the 2024-25 Premier League season.
Huijsen`s Strengths
Huijsen is viewed as a modern, aggressive defender who proactively steps out of the defensive line to intercept passes or challenge attackers before they control the ball. Standing at 6-foot-6, he leverages his height effectively in aerial duels, achieving a 59.3% success rate in the Premier League this season, ranking him highly among defenders in this area. His modern style allows him to occasionally track forwards into midfield, fitting an aggressive team press similar to Xabi Alonso`s approach at Bayer Leverkusen.
Huijsen is also comfortable on the ball with both feet, boasting the highest pass completion rate (84.3%) among Bournemouth players starting more than two Premier League games. This technical ability makes him valuable in build-up play, capable of finding passes to bypass the midfield.
Huijsen`s Weaknesses
As a young player, there are areas for development. His aggressive style sometimes leads to disciplinary issues; this season in the Premier League, he received six yellow cards, five for tactical fouls, and ranked third in the league for total fouls committed (90). Although he adapted well to the Premier League`s physicality, his speed could be an area for improvement. He might occasionally be vulnerable to being exposed by quicker attackers, particularly if the team employs a high defensive line, which is a likely tactic under Xabi Alonso.
Overall, he demonstrates maturity beyond his years given his professional experience. There is significant potential for him to develop into a top player at Real Madrid, especially under Xabi Alonso, who has a track record of improving young talents.
How He Fits at Real Madrid
Real Madrid is anticipated to strengthen their defense this summer, particularly at center-back, where they likely need at least two additions given the injury problems faced during the recent season. Significant time missed by Eder Militao (49 games) and Dani Carvajal (53 games) highlighted vulnerabilities in the defense. Carlo Ancelotti was forced to deploy midfielders like Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga in defensive roles due to the lack of available defenders. The team relied heavily on Antonio Rüdiger, often paired with Raúl Asencio, who only debuted this season. Jesús Vallejo served as a rarely used backup, playing just 36 minutes across two La Liga matches.
Consequently, Huijsen is expected to be a key figure under Xabi Alonso. However, his playing time will likely depend on whether Real Madrid signs additional defenders this summer.