Real Madrid’s Bold Move: Dean Huijsen Joins in a $50 Million Transfer
Here’s something you don’t see every day—a 20-year-old defender making such headlines and justifying a big-money move for one of football’s true heavyweights. Real Madrid has just triggered the $50 million release clause to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, wrapping up a transfer saga that’s been bubbling for weeks. For Bournemouth, it’s an absolute windfall: Huijsen came in from Juventus for just $15 million a year ago, and barely one Premier League season later, he’s off to Madrid, with $35 million in profit padding their bank account.
Huijsen isn’t yet a household name worldwide, but his story’s rolling fast. Born in the Netherlands and carrying Spanish nationality, he broke out in England almost immediately. Playing his first Premier League season, Huijsen did more than just settle in. He became a pillar in Bournemouth’s defense, scored three goals—impressive for a center-back—and helped the club reach its best-ever points tally. His performances didn’t go unnoticed: he earned a national team call-up, barely months after his Premier League debut, featuring for Spain in both Nations League playoff ties against the Netherlands.
Transfer Turmoil at Real Madrid
This isn’t just another routine Madrid signing. Huijsen arrives as the club is juggling seismic changes. Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave for the Brazil job, with club icon Xabi Alonso tipped to step in just before the FIFA Club World Cup. After a forgettable, trophyless campaign and worries about their backline depth—injuries plagued them all season—Madrid is clearly in overhaul mode. They’re not shy about spending and looking for new leaders in defense. Huijsen, known for being comfortable with the ball and reading the game well, is on a five-year deal stretching to June 2030. He fits the new Madrid mold: young, technical, modern.
The competition for Huijsen was no joke. Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal all wanted him, but Madrid pulled the trigger with the release clause. Even as they locked him down, rumors keep swirling that Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold could be the next high-profile defender on Madrid’s list, potentially coming as a free agent.
For now, Bournemouth keeps Huijsen for their final two matches. After that, it’s straight to Madrid—a club with towering expectations and a crowd that demands instant impact. Whether Huijsen is ready for the glare of the Bernabéu and the pressure that comes with plugging into Madrid’s defense, remains to be seen. But his meteoric rise in England and early success on the international stage make this a signing nobody in Spain or England will be ignoring.
