Real Madrid to sign Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen for £50m

Real Madrid are on the verge of completing the signing of Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen after agreeing to pay his £50 million release clause.

The 20-year-old Spain international is close to finalising personal terms with the La Liga giants, choosing to return to Spain despite receiving offers from several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle.

Huijsen joined Bournemouth from Juventus less than a year ago for £12.6 million. He has quickly become a key player for the Cherries, making 34 appearances and scoring three goals in the 2024/25 season. His rapid rise in the Premier League caught the attention of Europe’s elite, with Real Madrid now set to secure his services ahead of the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States next month.

The fee for Huijsen will be paid in three instalments, with his previous clubs also benefitting from the deal—Juventus are due 10% of the fee, and Malaga will receive 5%. Huijsen’s football journey began in Spain, where he played for Costa Unida CF and Malaga’s youth system, and he recently chose to represent Spain at the international level despite being born in the Netherlands.

Bournemouth’s president of football operations, Tiago Pinto, played a pivotal role in securing Huijsen from Juventus, exploiting the Italian club’s financial need to sell players. After injuries to other defenders, Huijsen cemented his place in Bournemouth’s starting eleven and impressed with performances such as his match-winning goal against Tottenham in December.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, who handed Huijsen his international debut, has endorsed the move, stating the young defender is “ready” for the demands of playing at Real Madrid. The club’s incoming manager, Xabi Alonso, is said to have been instrumental in targeting Huijsen as a priority signing to strengthen the team’s central defence.

Real Madrid view Huijsen as a player capable of meeting the high physical demands of elite-level football, especially with the increasing difficulty of sustaining top performance across a full season. The deal marks Madrid’s second Premier League acquisition this summer, following an expected move for Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.