Unknown to Real Madrid's £50m man - the rise of Huijsen

Dean Huijsen's £50m move to Real Madrid caps off a remarkable rise for a defender who was struggling to get in the Bournemouth team seven months earlier.

The 20-year-old Spain centre-back became one of the Premier League's most consistent centre-backs, after replacing the injured Marcos Senesi in December.

The Cherries almost quadrupled their money, having paid a maximum of £15m to sign him from Juventus last summer.

BBC Sport looks at the 6ft 5in defender's rapid ascent.

Huijsen ranks highly in many different categories for Premier League defenders to play at least 1,000 minutes this season, per 90 minutes.

On top of that, in his 30 Premier League appearances, he has scored three important goals - a winner against Tottenham, opener against Manchester United and equaliser against Arsenal - all in wins.

Jordan Clark, BBC Radio Solent's Bournemouth commentator, has been hugely impressed by the youngster.

"He looks like he's a second ahead of the strikers," he says. "He reads the game so well. He's a brilliant ball player, playing it out from the back, and he's defensively strong, physically solid.

"It's tough to see any downsides to his game. He does the basic things well. If a player is under pressure you see modern-day defenders take risks and play it out from the back.

"But he'll assess the situation quickly and if he feels the pass isn't on, he'll just put the ball out of play. It's like an old-school defender; no risks, if in doubt put it out."

Huijsen actually began the season in the starting XI before dropping to the bench for a few months before Senesi's injury.

"He played the first game at Forest and I remember saying on commentary it was the first time we'd seen him properly, a 19-year-old, but he looked like he'd been playing in the Premier League for years.

"He had something about him physically, he dealt brilliantly with Chris Wood but the ball playing as well was impressive. He stood out that day. But then he had to wait for his opportunity."

The CIES Football Observatory recently put Huijsen second in the world of 2024-25 signings whose values have risen, saying the Cherries could have made a £57.7m profit had he not had a release clause.

The only player above him was new Real Madrid team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who joined them on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain last year and is now worth, according to them, £153.6m.

His form this season saw him make his senior Spain debut. Born in the Netherlands but raised in Spain, he had represented both nations at youth level.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said they had been monitoring him for years and he "isn't some new discovery".

"There are many players - and this is the best news for Spanish football - who today are still unknown to the general public and even some in the media, but not to us inside the federation," he said.

"I see him - if nothing gets in the way - as capable of playing for any team. I don't see any limits. Huijsen is having a great season in the Premier League and is ready. I'm sure he'll keep improving with time, naturally."

Juventus will be kicking themselves as they were the ones who wanted Huijsen to leave last summer.

The 20-year-old joined Juve from Malaga's academy in 2021 - with Huijsen turning down the chance to join Real instead that summer.

He only played one senior game for Juve, spending the second half of last season on loan at Roma.

Huijsen told Gazzetta he wanted to play for Juventus this season but was told the club needed to sell him for financial reasons and forced him out.

Not their wisest decision, especially since they went on to sign Newcastle's former Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly for £20m in January.

In April, Bournemouth technical director Simon Francis told BBC Radio Solent: "Juventus might be scratching their heads at that now [how the English club got him for so cheap].

"We found a fortunate time to take him out of there. [Bournemouth president of football operations] Tiago Pinto had worked closely with him before [at Roma] and gave us reassurance.

"The idea was for him to come in as back-up and learn but through injury there was the opportunity for him to come into the team and he's been there ever since."

BBC commentator Clark added: "We'd never heard of him. I don't think there was much in terms of expecations. He looked like a player who was being signed for the future, one they'd hopefully develop and would come good eventually. It became clear quickly he was more than that."

Huijsen was wanted by most of Europe's top clubs - including Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle and Bayern Munich.

BBC Sport football news reporter Nizaar Kinsella says Real told the player they would continue watching his career when he turned them down for Juve aged 16.

"He will sign on a five-year deal with a salary of 9m euros (£7.6m) gross but expected to rise to 11m (£9.3) by the end of his contract," said Kinsella.

"Madrid found it challenging convincing his father and agents to go for Madrid with Juni Calafat and Jose Angel Sanchez handling negotiations. They believe they were offering less than some clubs in England for his signature.

"The sporting project convinced Huijsen as Real told him they will build their defence around him for the next decade and believe he fits Xabi Alonso's system of playing out from the back.

"Madrid wanted him regardless but Alonso spoke to him and approved the deal."

Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso is set to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Real boss before the Fifa Club World Cup.

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is also expected to move to Madrid on a free transfer in a defensive reshuffle.