Dean Huijsen‘s future is closer to Real Madrid despite the club’s talk of not strengthening its defense this summer, as the young talent has made it clear that his greatest ambition is to wear the white shirt. His great performance during the Nations League play-offs have served to present a high level and for Valdebebas to rethink their position.
Huijsen fits in with Madrid’s philosophy
In recent years, Real Madrid has followed a clear path in the transfer market: committing to young, projectable talent with experience at the top level. Huijsen meets these requirements perfectly. Trained at Málaga, he went to Juventus before being loaned to Roma and then signed by Bournemouth, where he has flourished under the management of Andoni Iraola. His 27 appearances this season and his 1,050 completed passes in the Premier League are a sign of his maturity and quality in possession play.
On the other hand, his performance with the Spanish national team in the recent Nations League has convinced many. His performance against the Netherlands, in a difficult environment, has made it clear that he has the mental strength necessary to play for a club like Real Madrid. “We already knew he was very good, but now we also know that he has the personality necessary to play for Madrid,” say sources very close to the club.
The Real Madrid defense
Even with the interest in Huijsen, Real Madrid has full confidence in its current squad of center-backs. Militao and Alaba are among the best center-backs in the world if they return to their best and together with Rüdiger and Raúl Asencio they would form a reliable defense. Tchouaméni is also a valid option in that position in case of emergency.
However, mortgaging the future of the white defense (by the way, the white defense is also more than mortgaged) to the health of these players can carry certain risks. Alaba and Rüdiger are already over 30, which should force the club to start planning a generational change. Huijsen could be the ideal player to fit into that future scenario, forming a tandem with Asencio.
Competition for Huijsen
The main obstacle to Real Madrid signing Huijsen is the competition. Several Premier League teams, such as the two already mentioned (Chelsea and Manchester United are also on the hunt), have expressed interest in the defender, especially the “Reds”, who are looking for a replacement for Van Dijk. Although Bournemouth completed his transfer for 15 million euros, the price he would fetch on the market has risen considerably and he could leave this summer for around 50 or 60 million euros.
Valdebebas think that this sum is high and that the signing is a financial “risk”. Although it would not be the first time that Madrid has agreed to such a deal, as could be seen with the signing of Camavinga four years ago. Real Madrid knows that there are opportunities that cannot be missed and Huijsen, with his youth, his quality, his way of showing off with the ball and his own successful way of acting, may be one of them.
The final decision will depend on how the player’s status evolves during the rest of the current season and on the desire shown by Real Madrid to adapt their initial plan of not signing a central defender, a plan which, at least for the moment, they have no intention of changing. What is clear, however, is that Huijsen has already expressed his desire: to play at the Santiago Bernabéu and write a page in the history of the oldest club in the world.