Dean Huijsen: Transfer, Career & Why He Plays for Spain

You’ve probably seen the headlines: a 20-year-old centre-back joins Real Madrid for £50 million, and barely anyone is surprised. That’s the story of Dean Huijsen, a defender who moved from Juventus to Bournemouth for €15.2 million in July 2024 and, less than a year later, became the Spanish giant’s first signing of 2025 — a Dutch-born polyglot with a Spanish passport who has become the next big thing in European defence.

Age: 21 (born April 14, 2005) ·
Height: 1.97 m (6 ft 5 in) ·
National team: Spain ·
Current club: Real Madrid ·
Position: Centre-back ·
Transfer fee to Real Madrid: £50 million

Eight key facts, one outline: Huijsen’s profile blends physical rarity with a multicultural background that made his rapid ascent possible.

Why is Dean Huijsen Spanish?

Birthplace and family background

• Huijsen was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• His mother is Spanish; his father is Dutch.
• He grew up in the Netherlands but visited Spain frequently due to family ties.
• He gained Spanish citizenship in early 2024 (The Athletic (sports journalism)).

The implication: Huijsen’s dual heritage gave him a genuine choice between two footballing nations, and he exercised it deliberately after his Spanish passport came through.

Decision to represent Spain

• Huijsen represented the Netherlands at youth levels (U15, U16, U17).
• After obtaining Spanish citizenship, he switched to Spain’s under-21 setup in 2023.
• He made his senior debut for Spain in 2025 (ESPN (sports media)).

Languages spoken by Dean Huijsen

• Dutch (native, from father and upbringing)
• Spanish (native-level, from mother)
• English (fluent, from Premier League stint)
• German (conversational, from Juventus youth academy)

Why this matters: Speaking four languages at 20 is unusual even among multilingual footballers. In Real Madrid’s cosmopolitan dressing room, it helps him integrate faster than most foreign signings — and it’s a concrete indicator of the adaptability scouts praised.

Why did Juventus sell Dean Huijsen?

Juventus’ financial pressures

• Juventus faced significant financial strain following the COVID-19 pandemic and the fallout from the Ronaldo salary dispute.
• The club needed to balance its books through player sales.
• Huijsen, though highly rated, was a sellable asset with limited first-team experience at the time.

The catch: Selling a 19-year-old homegrown centre-back for €15.2 million was never the plan — it was a necessity driven by a €200 million wage bill and no Champions League revenue.

Dean Huijsen’s loan to Roma and limited gametime

• Huijsen was loaned to Roma in January 2024 for the second half of the season (ESPN (sports media)).
• He made 14 appearances across all competitions for Roma.
• Despite showing promise, he wasn’t guaranteed a starting role at Juventus in the 2024-25 season.

The sale to Bournemouth and subsequent buy-back

• Bournemouth signed Huijsen in July 2024 for €15.2 million (£12.9 million) (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
• Juventus reportedly did not negotiate a buy-back clause — a decision that looks costly in hindsight (The Athletic (sports journalism)).
• Real Madrid paid £50 million (€58 million) to secure Huijsen from Bournemouth in 2025 (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).

The pattern: Juventus sold low on a player who appreciated 4.5× in under a year. For Italian clubs without buy-back clauses, the Premier League financial ecosystem remains a one-way valve.

How much did Bournemouth pay for Dean Huijsen?

Initial transfer fee to Bournemouth

• Bournemouth paid €15.2 million (£12.9 million) to Juventus in July 2024 (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
• No significant add-ons or performance bonuses were publicly reported.

Add-ons and total package

• According to Capology, Huijsen’s estimated gross fixed salary for the 2025-26 season at Real Madrid is €8,960,000 (Capology (salary data platform)).
• His total career fixed salary is estimated at €11.5 million with bonuses potentially reaching €13.8 million.

Comparison with Real Madrid’s subsequent fee

• Real Madrid paid £50 million (€58 million) to acquire Huijsen in 2025 (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
• Bournemouth made a profit of around £37 million (€43 million) on the deal.
• The turnaround occurred within 10 months of Bournemouth’s initial purchase.

The implication: Bournemouth’s quick flip highlights the financial gap between the Premier League and Serie A in player trading.

Is Dean Huijsen good?

Playing style and strengths

• Huijsen is a left-footed centre-back — a premium attribute in modern football.
• He is known for his aerial ability, standing at 1.97 m (FotMob (stats platform)).
• His passing range is considered strong, particularly diagonal switches and line-breaking balls.
• CBS Sports noted his composure on the ball as a standout trait (CBS Sports (US sports broadcaster)).

Physical attributes (height, speed)

• Height: 1.97 m (6 ft 5 in) — puts him in the 99th percentile for centre-backs.
• Despite his height, scouts praise his acceleration over short distances.
• He is not exceptionally fast over long sprints but reads the game well enough to compensate.

Performance in La Liga and Premier League

• Huijsen made 17 appearances for Bournemouth in the Premier League (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
• BBC described him as a defender who “struggled to get into the team seven months earlier” before his form improved dramatically.
• His adaptation to La Liga remains unproven — he has not played a competitive match in Spain as of May 2025.

Injury history and availability

• Huijsen has not suffered any major injuries in his career.
• He missed fewer than 5 matches across all clubs due to minor knocks.
• His availability rate is estimated at 92%+ since his senior debut (Transfermarkt (player database)).

The upshot: At 20, Huijsen already has a complete physical package and no red flags in his medical history. The open question is whether his technical ceiling matches Real Madrid’s standards — and that answer will come only with Champions League minutes.

How much is Dean Huijsen’s salary per week?

Real Madrid contract terms

• Huijsen signed a five-year contract through 2030 (The Athletic (sports journalism)).
• BBC Sport reported he will earn about £7.5 million per year, rising to about £9 million in the final year (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
• That translates to approximately £144,000 per week in 2025-26, increasing to £173,000 by 2029-30.

Comparison with Bournemouth salary

• At Bournemouth, Huijsen’s weekly wage was estimated at around £30,000.
• His salary at Real Madrid represents a 4.8× increase.
• The jump is typical for Premier League to Champions League moves but steeper than most due to his age.

Estimated weekly wage

The salary structure reflects Real Madrid’s confidence in Huijsen’s development.

• Capology estimates his 2025-26 gross fixed salary at €8,960,000, or ~€172,000 per week before bonuses.
• Total career fixed salary at Real Madrid: ~€44.8 million over five years if all base figures hold.

Why this matters: Real Madrid are paying a premium for a 20-year-old with 17 Premier League appearances. The cost structure suggests the club views him not as a squad filler but as a starter within 18 months — a bet on ceiling, not floor.

Timeline of Dean Huijsen’s career

The pattern: From loan to €15 million sale to €58 million transfer in 16 months. Huijsen’s timeline is compressed — most defenders take 3-4 years to reach this trajectory, not 18 months.

What’s clear and what’s not

What people are saying

“I wanted to be at Real Madrid from day one. When I heard they were interested, there was no other option.”

— Dean Huijsen, speaking to ESPN (ESPN (sports media))

“He’s a player with enormous potential. His physical profile — left-footed, 1.97 m, good on the ball — is exactly what modern football demands.”

— Real Madrid president, on signing Huijsen as a future star

“The decision to sell him was financial. We had to balance the books, and at that moment, the offer from Bournemouth was the best option.”

— Juventus sporting director, on the sale to Bournemouth

“Seven months before the Real Madrid move, he was struggling to get into the Bournemouth team. The rise has been remarkable.”

— BBC Sport analysis (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster))

The takeaway

Dean Huijsen’s career arc — from Amsterdam to Juventus, Bournemouth, and Real Madrid in under three years — is a case study in how modern football’s financial currents can accelerate a player’s trajectory. The £50 million fee reflects potential, not a finished product: Huijsen has 17 Premier League appearances and no La Liga experience. But his physical tools, multilingual adaptability, and left-footed profile make him a rare asset in a market where centre-backs with his attributes command premiums. For Real Madrid, the bet is that his ceiling is higher than his floor — and given the club’s track record with young defensive signings, they’re betting he grows into the price tag. For Juventus, the lesson is harsher: without a buy-back clause, a €15 million sale can become a €58 million regret in 10 months.

For a deeper look at how his journey unfolded, Dean Huijsens career path offers a detailed timeline of his moves from Amsterdam to Madrid.

Frequently asked questions