Bournemouth’s young center back Dean Huijsen is a player in huge demand and the latest reports state the trio of Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid are pushing hard to sign the Spaniard.
Huijsen, 20, has burst onto the scene this season following his move from Juventus to Bournemouth last summer. It took him a while to get into the Bournemouth team but he’s never looked back and now his reported $66.1 million release clause for this summer has plenty of big teams circling.
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According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid are speaking with soon-to-be-announced manager Xabi Alonso about center back targets and Huijsen, who has recently broken into the Spanish national team, dreams of playing for Real. Another report from Relevo in Spain says that Alonso is pushing to sign Huijsen this summer as Real are clearly looking to upgrade their defensive options after injuries ravaged their aging defense this season.
But according to Sky in Germany, Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal are leading the race for Huijsen. The plot thickens.
How good can Huijsen become?
There are so many talented young players in the Premier League but it’s no exaggeration to say Huijsen is the best center back in Europe under the age of 21. He’s ahead of the likes of Leny Yoro and Pau Cubarsi and his rise has been meteoric.
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But if you watch Huijsen play you can understand why he’s taken to the Premier League so easy.
He’s so slick and quick on the ball, is happy playing out from the back and most importantly he loves to attack the ball and press high, both aerially and when it comes to man-marking and making challenges. He is the epitome of the modern center back.
At six-foot-four he’s also a huge threat from attacking set-pieces and he’s yet to fully fill out his frame. His potential is scary and his release clause is really low considering how high his ceiling is.
Where should Huijsen go?
It seems like Huijsen’s heart is set on a move to Real Madrid and can you blame him?
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Xabi Alonso is coming in and the likes of Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are coming towards the end of their careers and Eder Militao is coming off a huge ACL injury. There is a real opportunity for Huijsen to quickly cement himself in the Real Madrid starting lineup in a new era for the giants.
Liverpool could be his next best landing spot as Ibrahima Konate’s future is uncertain, while Jarell Quansah could be moved on this summer and the opportunity to learn and grow alongside one of the best center backs in the world in Virgil van Dijk is a real pull.
Arsenal should only be an option for Huijsen if William Saliba moves on. Which could happen as Real Madrid also want to sign the French center back. That seems unlikely to happen, for now, and Huijsen may have to wait behind Saliba and Gabriel for a while as the partnership they’ve formed is formidable and among the best in the world.
Huijsen will have plenty of great options this summer but he has to make the right decision and right now it should be a choice between Real Madrid and Liverpool. Two pretty good options.
