Real Madrid has finalized the acquisition of 20-year-old central defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. The Spanish club triggered the player`s $50 million release clause to secure his signature. Huijsen, who has signed a contract keeping him at the Bernabéu until the summer of 2030, is considered a promising young talent in European football. He only moved to the English side from Juventus last season in a deal worth approximately $15 million. Just one year later, he is making a significant step up by joining Real Madrid.
Major changes are anticipated at Real Madrid this summer. Carlo Ancelotti is set to depart the club from May 26 to become the head coach of the Brazilian national team. Club owner Florentino Perez is expected to announce that Real Madrid legend Xabi Alonso will take over as the new manager.
With Xabi Alonso poised to take charge before the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, a period of significant transfer activity is expected at Madrid in the coming weeks. Huijsen`s arrival is the first key signing, potentially followed by Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is reportedly set to join the Spanish giants as a free agent. Several clubs were interested in signing Huijsen this summer, and his performances made it clear why. In his debut Premier League season, he showcased his abilities, even scoring three goals. Teams like Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal were reported to be candidates to sign him before Real Madrid entered the race for the former Juventus defender. Here’s a closer look at Dean Huijsen:
Early Career
Born in Amsterdam in 2005, Huijsen obtained Spanish citizenship in 2024 and chose to represent the Spanish national team, making his official debut in March 2025. At the age of five, he moved with his family to Marbella, Spain, where he began playing football as a child before joining the Malaga academy.
In 2021, at 16, he relocated to Turin after Juventus signed him for their U-17 team. However, he quickly progressed to play for Juventus`s second team, which competes 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 in October 2023 against AC Milan.
This turned out to be his only official senior appearance for Juventus. In January 2024, he moved to AS Roma on loan, a move suggested by then-Giallorossi coach Jose Mourinho. Mourinho publicly praised Huijsen before his arrival, 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, his successor Daniele De Rossi trusted Huijsen`s talent. By the end of the season, he had played 14 games for Roma, scoring two goals. He returned to Juventus in the summer of 2024, but the Italian club reached an agreement with Bournemouth in July to sell him, leading to his move to the Premier League for the 2024-25 season.
Huijsen`s Strengths
Huijsen is considered a modern and aggressive defender. He frequently steps out of the defensive line to intercept passes and engage in individual duels with forwards before they receive the ball, a characteristic of many players in his position today. At 6-foot-6, he is a tall defender and effectively uses his height in aerial duels, boasting a 59.3% success rate in the Premier League this season, ranking him among the best defenders in this regard. As a modern defender, Huijsen can sometimes operate outside his primary role, tracking strikers into the midfield, which suits an aggressive team style, such as the one Xabi Alonso employed at Bayer Leverkusen.
Huijsen is also comfortable playing with both feet, and his pass completion rate at Bournemouth (84.3%) is the highest among players who started more than two Premier League games. This skill makes him a valuable asset in the team`s build-up play, especially if tasked with bypassing the midfield line with his passing.
Huijsen`s Weaknesses
Considering his young age, there are areas where Huijsen can improve. Discipline is one aspect, as his aggressive playing style resulted in six yellow cards this season in the Premier League, five of which were for tactical fouls. He also ranks high for fouls committed (90), placing him third in the league. While he handled the physicality of the English league reasonably well during his season at Bournemouth, there is definitely room for improvement in terms of speed. He could occasionally be exposed if the team adopts a high defensive line, which Xabi Alonso is likely to do.
Overall, he is already a mature player for his age and the number of professional games he has played. There are strong indications that he can have a successful career at Real Madrid, particularly under the guidance of the Spanish coach, who was known for developing many young players during his time in Germany.
How He Fits in at Real Madrid
Real Madrid is expected to make several changes in their defensive department this summer, starting with the center-back position. The club likely needs to sign at least two players here, given the injury problems that affected Carlo Ancelotti`s squad during the current season. With Eder Militao missing 49 games and Dani Carvajal missing 53 due to injuries, the current defense has been far from full strength.
Ancelotti was forced to use midfielders like Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga in defensive roles due to the lack of available defenders. He had to rely significantly on Antonio Rudiger, often paired with Raul Asencio, who only made his club debut this season. Jesus Vallejo was a minimal backup option, playing just two La Liga matches for a total of 36 minutes.
For these reasons, Huijsen is expected to become a central figure under Xabi Alonso. However, the amount of game time he receives will likely depend on whether Real Madrid signs additional defenders this summer.
