Real Madrid trigger Dean Huijsen release clause

Real Madrid are set to sign Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen after triggering his £50m release clause.

Huijsen - who made his Spain debut in March - will depart the Vitality Stadium after joining for just £12.6m in July 2024.

According to reports, the defender had offers from several Premier League clubs but he is prioritising a return to Spain where he grew up playing in Malaga's youth teams.

With the news coming before the conclusion of the Premier League season it is widely assumed that Madrid want to get the signing done before they compete in the inaugural FIFA Club World Club that takes place in the U.S over June and July.

Huijsen has been key to Bournemouth's success this campaign, making 30 appearances in the league and even popping up with three goals.

The 20-year-old's success has come as no surprise to manager Andoni Iraola.

“You feel the player, you see the qualities straight away," the Spanish manager said in a March interview.

“I didn't know about his mentality because when you sign someone that is 19, you see, okay, it looks like he’s going to be a good player," he continued.

"But you are not sure if he's ready to perform straight away against the best opposition. That is what he's facing in the Premier League.

“And he showed since the first day, I think he started playing the season against Forest. He played really well."

Huijsen's career so far

His sharp rise to prominence has been one of the stories of the Premier League season, displaying the kind of consistency that belies his age.

Standing at 6ft5ins - Huijsen is a commanding presence at the back but his ability to time interventions coupled with on-the-ball prowess is what makes him such an attractive proposition to elite clubs.

For players with a minimum of 200 interceptions in the Premier League this season, Huijsen ranks second in terms of success rate. His 80.5% is narrowly beaten out by the 81.1% success rate of Arsenal defender Gabriel.

William Dobbie

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