Dean Huijsen responds to Real Madrid transfer interest | OneFootball

Bournemouth's sought-after centre-back Dean Huijsen says that he is "honoured" to be linked with a move to Real Madrid.

The Amsterdam born defender earned his first call-up to the Spanish senior team this month as a reward for his stellar debut season in the Premier League. The towering central pillar of Bournemouth's backline wasn't immediately first choice under Andoni Iraola after arriving from Juventus in the summer, but scored the only goal in a victory over Tottenham Hotspur to kick-start December and hasn't missed a minute since.

Manchester United and Chelsea have been heavily linked with the 19-year-old, while Real Madrid are widely credited with a long-standing interest in the Spaniard.

The links to Real Madrid were specifically put to Huijsen in an interview with Relevo this week. Rather than stress his satisfaction with Bournemouth, the teenager gushed: "It's an honour to have such a big team interested in you; it's something special and it means you're doing well."

Huijsen had the chance to join the Spanish giants when he left Malaga's youth system in the summer of 2021 before ultimately opting for Juventus. "I think it was a measured decision," the centre-back explained. "Because of Italy's reputation, I wanted to go to Juventus, where [Giorgio] Chiellini, [Leonardo] Bonucci, [Andrea] Barzagli, and other historic centre-backs were. I wanted to learn defensive skills, which is also learned in Spain, but there you work harder. I think it was the right decision."

Dean Huijsen has impressed during his first Premier League season / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages

Juve loaned Huijsen out to Roma in the second half of last season, giving the youngster his first chance to shine in senior football. Despite encouraging flashes of his obvious talent, Juventus made a firm decision to sell him at all costs.

"I arrived the first day after the summer break and they told me I had to go," Huijsen explained to MARCA, "but that they wouldn't force me. And then they forced me, they made me train alone and things like that." Incredibly, he left Juventus for a meagre €15.2m (£12.7m) plus add-ons.

Huijsen's Bournemouth contract is thought to contain a release clause worth £50m, making him one of the more affordable targets Madrid are considering. Arsenal are expected to demand a world-record fee for William Saliba and reports suggest that Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate would cost upwards of £60m.