Dean Huijsen met the questions about his record-breaking move to Real Madrid with a shrug. The 20-year-old, formerly of Bournemouth, had just sealed a £50 million transfer, making him the most expensive defender in the club’s history. But if there was any pressure weighing on him, it didn’t show. Presenting himself at Valdebebas, Real Madrid’s training ground, Huijsen acknowledged he was “living a dream,” though the fee seemed to be the least of his concerns. In fact, very little seemed to faze him. “I’m quite calm,” he said. “I am me and I am going to live my life and I do what I like most.”
At his official unveiling inside the basketball arena, Huijsen stepped up confidently, greeted the crowd, and said: “Madrid is the club of my life, I think.” With a smile, he tapped the microphone and asked: “Can you hear me?” His parents, Donny — a former Dutch footballer — and Mascha Wijsmuller, watched proudly from the front row. Though Huijsen grew up a Málaga fan after moving to southern Spain at the age of five, he credited Sergio Ramos as his boyhood hero.
Initially, Huijsen had planned to remain at Bournemouth for one more season. But his growth on the pitch accelerated faster than expected. By March, he had already made his senior debut for Spain — against the Netherlands, no less — a choice that drew boos from Dutch fans but marked a key step in his international career. As Real Madrid looked to build under Xabi Alonso, their interest intensified, joining a long list of suitors across Europe.
A lot was said but I just concentrated on my football, giving everything at Bournemouth and trying to finish the season in the right way, Huijsen reflected. “I wanted to be here from the first day; once Real Madrid called I didn’t have eyes for any other teams. For me, Real Madrid is the best club in the world and there is no other club when they appear.”
He recalled a cherished childhood moment watching Real Madrid: “I think my first nice memory of Real Madrid was the [Champions League] final in 2014 in which Sergio Ramos scored in the last minute of added time. I would have been nine. Ramos sent me a message when [the transfer] was official. He’s my biggest idol, the best centre-back in history. I wouldn’t say there is one thing about him [to single out], but all the things he had: he was the most complete centre-back too.”
When Madrid decided to trigger his £50 million release clause — paid in three installments totaling nearly €60 million — Huijsen’s response was straightforward: “I don’t think about that.” Asked previously about the sum during an international break, he had simply told AS: “It’s the clause I had,” adding, “and if it hadn’t been that maybe they would have asked for more.”
When it came to the inevitable talk of pressure, Huijsen brushed it off: “Well you’ve seen me play: I’m quite calm. I don’t think about it. I’m doing what I love.” He’s set to wear the No. 24 shirt — not for symbolic reasons, but because, as he put it: “It’s the one there is [available].”
Discussing his fit under new coach Xabi Alonso, Huijsen expressed confidence: “I fit very well the football that Xabi wants to play and I am going to try to contribute to the team; anything I can do to help, I’m delighted to do so. We have spoken a bit about what he expects from me, and I think these will be nice years. Bringing the ball out is something I have, as well as defending.”
He ended with a clear message of intent: “I think I have shown I am ready. I’m here to help the team and [as for] the demands here: I want to win titles too. I’m not here to not win titles.”
