Reports indicate that Real Madrid is close to securing the transfer of 20-year-old center-back Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. The Spanish club is reportedly finalizing personal terms with the player`s representatives after agreeing to meet his $50 million release clause.
Huijsen is considered a promising young European talent. Just last season, he transferred from Juventus to Bournemouth for approximately $15 million. Now, a year later, he appears set for a significant move to Real Madrid. The club is anticipating further major changes this summer, including Carlo Ancelotti`s departure on May 26th to manage the Brazilian national team. Simultaneously, club president Florentino Perez is rumored to be planning the announcement of Real Madrid icon Xabi Alonso as the new head coach.
With Xabi Alonso expected to take the helm before the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, Real Madrid`s transfer activity is anticipated to be high in the coming weeks. Early potential arrivals include Huijsen and reportedly Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is expected to join on a free transfer.
Several clubs were reportedly interested in signing Huijsen this summer, a testament to his potential. He impressed during his debut Premier League season, even contributing three goals. Clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal were mentioned as potential destinations before Real Madrid entered the picture to secure the services of the former Juventus player.
Here`s what you need to know about Huijsen:
Early career
Huijsen was born in Amsterdam in 2005. In 2024, he obtained Spanish citizenship and opted to represent the Spanish national team, making his official debut in March 2025. At the age of five, he moved to Marbella, Spain, with his family, where he began playing football as a child before joining the Malaga academy.
In 2021, at age 16, he moved to Turin after Juventus decided to sign him for their U-17 team. However, he quickly started playing with Juventus`s second team in the third division. During the 2023-24 season, Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri occasionally included him in the first team squad. He made his Serie A debut against AC Milan in October 2023.
This turned out to be his only official first-team appearance for Juventus at that time. In January 2024, he was loaned to AS Roma at the suggestion of then-Giallorossi coach Jose Mourinho, who wanted him for the remainder of the season. Before Huijsen`s arrival, Mourinho spoke highly of him in a press conference, 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 prediction proved accurate. Although Mourinho was sacked shortly after, Daniele De Rossi, who took over, trusted Huijsen`s talent. By the end of the season, he had played 14 games and scored two goals. In the summer of 2024, he returned to Juventus, but the Italian club agreed terms with Bournemouth in July to sell the player, who then joined the Premier League for the 2024-25 season.
Huijsen`s strengths
Huijsen is seen as a modern, aggressive defender. He frequently steps out of the defensive line to intercept passes and engage strikers before they receive the ball, a common trait among players in his position today. Standing at 6-foot-6, he effectively utilizes his height in aerial duels, boasting a 59.3% success rate in the Premier League last season, ranking him among the league`s best defenders in this area. As a modern defender, Huijsen can occasionally follow strikers into midfield, fitting well with an aggressive team style, similar to what Xabi Alonso implemented at Bayer Leverkusen.
Huijsen is also comfortable playing with both feet and possesses a high pass completion rate (84.3% among Bournemouth players starting more than two Premier League games). This skill makes him a valuable option in the build-up phase, particularly if asked to bypass the midfield with his passing.
Huijsen`s weaknesses
Given his young age, there is naturally room for improvement in certain aspects of his game. Discipline is one area, as his aggressive style led to six yellow cards in the Premier League last season, five of which were for tactical fouls. He also ranked third in the league for fouls committed (90). While he handled the physicality of the English league reasonably well, his speed could improve. He might occasionally be exposed if the team employs a high defensive line, which Xabi Alonso is likely to favour.
Overall, for his age and professional experience, he is already a mature player. There are strong indications that he can have a successful career at Real Madrid, especially under Xabi Alonso, who has a track record of developing young players in Germany.
How he fits in at Real Madrid
Real Madrid is expected to make defensive reinforcements this summer, particularly at center-back, where they may sign at least two players. This need arises from the injury issues faced by the squad during the current season; for instance, Eder Militao missed 49 games and Dani Carvajal missed 53 due to injuries, leaving the defense weakened.
Carlo Ancelotti had to deploy midfielders like Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga in defensive roles due to a lack of available defenders. He also relied on Raul Asencio, who made his debut for the club only this season and often partnered Antonio Rudiger throughout the 2024-25 season. Jesus Vallejo served as a backup option but played minimal minutes (two La Liga matches, totalling 36 minutes).
Considering these factors, Huijsen is likely to be a key player under Xabi Alonso. However, the amount of playing time he receives will probably depend on further defensive signings made by Real Madrid this summer.
