Real Madrid Signs Huijsen for the Next Five Seasons

Real Madrid officially announced on Saturday the signing of Dean Huijsen, marking the first addition for the Club World Cup, which will take place between June 14 and July 13. The Chamartín club will pay Bournemouth the release clause for the Spanish international, set at £50 million (approximately €59.3 million), in three instalments, to secure one of the most promising defenders in world football.

Huijsen will be linked to Real Madrid for the next five seasons, signing from June 1 of this year until June 30, 2030. At 20 years old, the centre-back, born in Amsterdam but a full international with Spain, will strengthen Real Madrid's defensive line, which has been severely weakened this season by injuries to Dani Carvajal, Éder Militao, David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, and Ferland Mendy.

The signing of Huijsen had become one of Real Madrid's top priorities for the next phase, which will be led by Xabi Alonso from the bench following Carlo Ancelotti's departure at the end of the league. Although other names like the Frenchmen William Saliba and Ibrahima Konaté were mentioned, the preferred choice of Real Madrid's sports directors for several months has been this towering defender, son of a former footballer raised in Ajax's academy, who grew up in Málaga and chose to play for Spain, debuting last March in a draw against the Netherlands in Rotterdam.

This was not the first time Real Madrid showed interest in Huijsen. In fact, the centre-back was close to joining Real Madrid's academy in 2021, but the young player, advised by his family, opted to move to Juventus, a club that recruited him from Málaga's academy and with whose first team he debuted before being loaned to Roma and later transferred to Bournemouth. At Bournemouth, he confirmed the extraordinary potential he had shown, leading him to Real Madrid.

Of the €59 million that Real Madrid will pay Bournemouth for Huijsen's transfer, 10% will go to Juventus, while another 5%, corresponding to UEFA's solidarity mechanism, will be shared between Málaga and San Félix, the centre-back's training clubs.

In addition to Huijsen's signing, Real Madrid is also working to secure Trent Alexander-Arnold for the Club World Cup, after the right-back, who has an agreement with Real Madrid, confirmed his departure from Liverpool. Xabi Alonso's plan also includes adding a left-back, with a particular interest in Spanish player Álvaro Carreras from Benfica, and a midfielder.