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Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen is reportedly set to reject offers from Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Chelsea in favour of a move to Real Madrid this summer, according to Spanish outlet Marca.
The 20-year-old Dutch defender joined Bournemouth from Juventus for an initial £12.8 million last July and has quickly made his mark in the Premier League with a string of impressive performances. His displays have drawn attention from several top clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool, all of whom are monitoring his progress ahead of the summer transfer window.
However, Marca reports that Huijsen’s father has communicated to Real Madrid that the Spanish giants remain his son’s preferred destination. The report also claims that the youngster is willing to turn down a concrete offer from Chelsea and is prepared to accept a move to the Santiago Bernabéu even if Madrid’s financial package falls short of those proposed by English clubs.
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Huijsen’s contract with Bournemouth includes a £50 million release clause, but Madrid are said to have discovered that the fee can be paid in three installments. Madrid previously attempted to sign Huijsen in 2021 before he opted to join Juventus, but they have maintained a strong relationship with his family since.
Dean Huijsen (Image credit: Getty Images)Real Madrid are actively seeking reinforcements in defence as they prepare for the FIFA Club World Cup next month. With Xabi Alonso expected to replace Carlo Ancelotti as head coach, the club is aiming to secure both a centre-back and a left-back before the tournament kicks off.
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Madrid’s Club World Cup campaign begins on June 18 with a group stage match against Saudi Arabian champions Al-Hilal. They are also scheduled to face Mexican side Pachuca and Austria’s RB Salzburg in Group H. The summer transfer window will briefly open from June 1 to June 10 to allow clubs to finalise squads for the competition.
Huijsen is among Madrid’s top targets for central defence, alongside Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté and Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié, who played under Alonso in the Bundesliga. At left-back, the club is considering Alvaro Carreras of Benfica, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, and AC Milan’s Theo Hernández.
Madrid are also working on a deal to bring Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold to Spain. The right-back has agreed to join the club on a free transfer when his contract expires on June 30, although Madrid may attempt to expedite the move by negotiating a fee with Liverpool in order to register him for the Club World Cup.
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