Spain recently played in the UEFA Nations League, and while we were happy to see Asencio get his first call-up to the Spanish national team, another young defender made a strong impression on his debut: Dean Huijsen.
Huijsen was born in the Netherlands but is a naturalized Spaniard, having lived in Málaga since he was five years old. He chose to represent Spain internationally, coincidentally making his debut against the Netherlands. The 19-year-old currently plays for Bournemouth, having previously been part of Málaga’s and Juventus’ academies. He also had loan spells at AC Milan and AS Roma before Bournemouth signed him for around €15 million.
Huijsen stands out for his physical presence—he is 1.95 meters tall—but also possesses good ball control. His performances for Spain have sparked rumors that Real Madrid could be interested in signing him.
It’s worth noting that Real Madrid has some concerns in defense. Militão is recovering from a long-term injury, Alaba has suffered a serious injury, and it’s uncertain if he will return to his best level. Meanwhile, Rüdiger is already 32 years old. While Asencio has been a positive addition and looks set to establish himself in the first team, Real Madrid may need to sign a young center-back for the future.