Chijioke Gabriel
Real Madrid have signed Spain defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth on Saturday after agreeing to pay his £50 million ($59 million) release fee.
The 20-year-old centre-back has impressed in his one season in the Premier League after joining the Cherries from Juventus in 2024 for £12.8 million.
Huijsen will be available for Real Madrid at the Club World Cup in the United States this summer, with their first game against Al-Hilal on June 18 in Miami.
The defender, born in the Netherlands, moved with his family to Spain aged five and played in Malaga’s youth academy.
“Real Madrid and Bournemouth have reached a deal for the transfer of player Dean Huijsen, who will be at our club for the next five seasons, from June 1 2025, until June 30, 2030,” said Los Blancos in a statement reported by AFP.
Bournemouth confirmed Madrid had “activated a £50 million release clause”, with reports suggesting Huijsen’s former sides, Juventus and Malaga, will also profit from the deal.
Madrid moved quickly to sign the defender amid interest from several Premier League clubs for the Spain international.
Huijsen made his Spain debut against the country of his birth, helping La Roja defeat the Dutch in March to reach the Nations League final four.
Real Madrid has struggled defensively this season, losing 14 games across all competitions and finishing without a major trophy.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is departing to take over the Brazil national team, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso is expected to replace him in a summer of change in the Spanish capital.
Huijsen is set to be joined at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer by England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold at the end of his Liverpool deal.
