This past Saturday, Real Madrid grabbed headlines by securing Spain international Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, activating his £50 million ($59 million) release clause. The promising 20-year-old defender has made a strong impact during his debut season in the Premier League after moving to the Cherries from Juventus in 2024 for £12.8 million.
In an official statement, Los Blancos announced the signing, revealing, “Real Madrid and Bournemouth have finalized an agreement for the transfer of Dean Huijsen, who will join our squad for the next five seasons, from June 1, 2025, until June 30, 2030.” This acquisition highlights Madrid’s commitment to strengthening their defensive structure.
Bournemouth confirmed that Madrid had indeed “activated a £50 million release clause,” with both Huijsen’s former clubs, Juventus and Malaga, set to gain from this deal.
As numerous Premier League clubs expressed interest in the young defender, Real Madrid acted decisively to bring Huijsen on board. Anticipation surrounds his participation in the upcoming Club World Cup in the United States, with his debut match against Al-Hilal scheduled for June 18 in Miami.
Huijsen kickstarted his football journey in the Netherlands but moved to Spain at the age of five. He rose through the youth ranks of Malaga and earlier this year celebrated his first international cap with Spain, helping La Roja secure a spot in the Nations League finals against the Netherlands.
This season, Real Madrid has grappled with defensive inconsistencies, suffering 14 defeats across competitions, which left them without any significant titles. In a notable development, coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave to manage the Brazil national team, while Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso has emerged as a frontrunner to take his place, suggesting a summer of considerable change in Madrid.
In a thrilling twist, it appears that Huijsen will soon be joined at Santiago Bernabeu by England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is poised to leave Liverpool, signaling a focus on boosting the team’s defensive strength.
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