Real Madrid is reportedly eager to sign young defender Dean Huijsen before the Club World Cup kicks off.
With their defense hit hard by injuries, the Spanish giants are determined to strengthen the backline. The BBC reports that Real Madrid is ready to pay £50 million to sign Bournemouth’s 20-year-old center-back Dean Huijsen.
Huijsen signed with Bournemouth less than a year ago, and despite receiving offers to stay in England, he turned them down. But the allure of joining Real Madrid was one opportunity the young Dutch-Spanish defender couldn’t resist.
While no official confirmation has come from any of the clubs involved, the BBC’s Thursday report states that Real Madrid has agreed to meet the release clause in Huijsen’s contract. The payment will reportedly be made in three installments. Of the total fee, 10% will go to his former club Juventus, and 5% to his boyhood club Málaga.
Citing various sources, the BBC also mentions that Huijsen and Real Madrid are close to agreeing on personal terms. An official announcement is expected soon.
Born in the Netherlands, Huijsen represented the Dutch youth teams but has opted to play for Spain at the senior level. He’s already made his debut for the former world champions and has been a standout performer in the Premier League this season.
So far, Huijsen has made 34 appearances for Bournemouth across all competitions and scored three goals. If everything proceeds as planned, he’ll become the second defender to move to Real Madrid from the Premier League this summer. There are also strong rumors linking Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold with a move to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Real Madrid has struggled with injuries throughout the season. In their latest match against Mallorca on Wednesday night, they were forced to play without 12 key players due to fitness issues. Manager Carlo Ancelotti didn’t even have access to his first-choice defenders, yet the team managed a 2–1 win thanks to a late goal.
Having already been knocked out of other competitions, Real Madrid’s chances of retaining the La Liga title are slim. If Barcelona win their next match on Thursday, Europe’s most successful club could end the season trophyless.
That’s why Real is pushing hard to secure both Alexander-Arnold and Huijsen before the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup kicks off in June–July.
