Dean Huijsen is ready to make Real Madrid his next destination, even as Premier League giants Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool track his progress at Bournemouth. Despite strong interest from top English clubs, the 20-year-old centre-back reportedly prefers a switch to the Spanish capital this summer.
Huijsen has already made a notable impact in his debut Premier League season following a £12.8 million move from Juventus to Bournemouth last July. His performances have quickly drawn attention from across Europe, placing him on the radar of several top-tier clubs.
While Chelsea have already submitted an offer, reports from Spain suggest Huijsen is prepared to turn it down. His father has informed Madrid that they are his top choice for a transfer.
This isn’t Madrid’s first pursuit of Huijsen; the club had previously attempted to sign him in 2021 but lost out to Juventus. However, a strong relationship between the defender’s camp and Madrid’s hierarchy has been maintained.
Real Madrid are planning to strengthen their squad ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off June 18 with matches against Al-Hilal, RB Salzburg, and Pachuca in Group H.
With the summer transfer window briefly opening from June 1 to June 10 to allow registrations before the tournament, Madrid are targeting a centre-back and a left-back.
Xabi Alonso is expected to replace Carlo Ancelotti as manager, and among his defensive targets are Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen.
In addition to Huijsen, Madrid have also set sights on right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has agreed to join the club on a free transfer once his Liverpool contract expires on June 30. However, Madrid may pay a fee to secure his early arrival.
At left-back, the Spanish giants are weighing up moves for AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez, Benfica’s Alvaro Carreras, and Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.