Real Madrid have made their first signing of the offseason, bringing in highly rated Spain defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. The 20-year-old has signed a five-year deal with the Spanish powerhouse, keeping him at the club until June 2030. Madrid reportedly paid £50 million ($66.4 million) to secure his services, according to Bournemouth.
Huijsen, who was born in the Netherlands, is known for his ball-playing abilities as a center back. He joined Bournemouth from Juventus last year for a reported fee of £12.5 million (now $16.6 million) and has been a regular in the team since November.
Bournemouth praised Huijsen for his contributions to their record-breaking season, which has seen them surpass their highest points tally in the Premier League. The defender’s impressive performances earned him a call-up to the Spain national team for the Nations League playoffs in March.
Despite interest from top Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal, it was inevitable that Bournemouth would lose Huijsen this summer. Madrid, in need of defensive reinforcements after a challenging season, saw the tall defender as the perfect addition to their squad.
Huijsen will finish the season with Bournemouth before joining up with his new teammates at Madrid. The young defender’s arrival is expected to bolster Madrid’s defense and help them bounce back from a trophyless campaign in 2024-25.
