Real Madrid’s £50 million acquisition of Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth represents a carefully calculated decision to reinforce the left side of their defense with a long-term solution. The club acted swiftly following their Clásico defeat, triggering the release clause and securing the defender before the expanded FIFA Club World Cup registration deadline.
The transfer, approved by new head coach Xabi Alonso, fills an important structural gap in Madrid’s back line. With David Alaba in the final phase of his career and recovering from a long-term injury, the club sought a player with overlapping tactical qualities—strong in distribution, comfortable operating in a high line, and adaptable to multiple shapes.
Antonio Rüdiger has played admirably in Alaba’s absence, anchoring the defense with consistency and leadership. His performances in the 2023–24 season were among the best of his career. However, at 32 and recently having gone through surgery, Rüdiger may not be a long-term solution for the left-sided role in Alonso’s system. This opens a clear opportunity for Huijsen to make an immediate impact—not merely as a backup, but as a legitimate competitor for minutes in key games.
At Bournemouth last season, Huijsen exhibited a range of passing traits that closely mirror Alaba’s role in the 2021–22 campaign, one of his most complete at Madrid. Though slightly behind in volume, Huijsen’s verticality and progression match up well.
In terms of distribution and build-up play, Dean Huijsen’s 2024–25 season at Bournemouth shows notable parallels with David Alaba’s 2021–22 campaign at Real Madrid:
- Passes Completed: Huijsen – 1,355 | Alaba – 1,788
- Pass Completion Rate: Huijsen – 83.4% | Alaba – 90.9%
- Progressive Pass Distance: Huijsen – 10,928 yards | Alaba – 10,903 yards
- Long Pass Attempts: Huijsen – 304 | Alaba – 161
- Passes into Final Third: Huijsen – 180 | Alaba – 143
- Progressive Passes: Huijsen – 132 | Alaba – 154
- Switches of Play: Huijsen – 15 | Alaba – 40
- Passes into the Penalty Area: Huijsen – 7 | Alaba – 15
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Huijsen’s long pass volume in particular—nearly double Alaba’s—speaks to his instinct to play vertically and exploit space behind the press. His switches of play (15) and passes into the penalty area (7) also show a willingness to take risks and create width from the back.
Though right-footed, Huijsen is comfortable using both feet in build-up and is confident stepping forward into midfield. At Bournemouth, he regularly executed looping, bending passes in behind defensive lines after carrying the ball forward. These clipped deliveries were particularly effective in exploiting space between defensive lines and the goalkeeper.
However, against deeper blocks, that type of pass becomes more difficult to execute. To become a more complete distributor, Huijsen will need to expand his ground-based forward passing options and refine the tempo with which he enters pressure. At times, he accelerates into midfield too quickly, reducing his decision-making window. A more measured advance could help him better time his options and adjust his angles.
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His long passes, while accurate, are often hit with significant drop and curve—useful for switches or bypassing an initial press but less suited to flat, driven deliveries into feet. Adding this dimension would enhance his ability to break compact midfields or connect with advancing full-backs and wingers under pressure.
Huijsen’s development under Andoni Iraola has been as much about defensive structure as it has been about possession play. Within Bournemouth’s aggressive 4-2-3-1, Huijsen partnered Illia Zabarnyi and adapted seamlessly to a high-line pressing system. After 32 Premier League games in 2024–25, Bournemouth led the league in defensive duels per 90 (72.42), with Huijsen central to that output.
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His 74.29% success rate in defensive duels was the highest among all Bournemouth players with 50+ duels. He also averaged 5.26 interceptions per 90, ranking third in the squad. These numbers reflect not only anticipation but an aptitude for front-footed defending—engaging attackers early, often in the opposition half.
Xabi Alonso is expected to favour a hybrid back line that morphs between a four and a three in possession. In either setup, a defender capable of stepping into midfield and acting as a secondary playmaker is critical. Huijsen’s comfort in these roles makes him a natural fit.
“We’ve talked a bit about the team and what Xabi Alonso has in mind, and about the project. Of course, we want to win things again, and I’m sure we will… I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. But I’m here at Madrid, and I’ll try to do my best.” — Dean Huijsen during his interview with AS.
Though comparisons with Alaba are warranted, Huijsen’s role model is another Madrid legend.
“I try to aspire to be like Sergio Ramos. He’s my idol,” Huijsen said. “For me, he’s very complete, he had everything. In terms of leadership, goalscoring, personality, character.”— Dean Huijsen.
The blend of elegance and intensity, structure and freedom, is central to the Madrid model of defending—and Huijsen carries elements of both.
At just 19, Huijsen won’t be asked to replace David Alaba or replicate Sergio Ramos. But Real Madrid have made it clear—his profile, his mindset, and his progression all point to something the club values deeply—structure with style.
