Dean Huijsen warned dream Real Madrid transfer could turn into his worst nightmare with ‘pretty face’ not enough to play
DEAN HUIJSEN has been warned a dream move to Real Madrid could turn into his worst nightmare.
The Bournemouth centre-back is high on the Santiago Bernabeu hitlist after an amazing debut season in England.
The Spanish giants are preparing to trigger the £50million release clause on a contract that runs to 2030.
Yet the man who gave the Netherlands-born Spain defender his break believes joining Real would be a step backwards — because he would struggle to get a game.
And the best big-picture decision would be for the 19-year-old to stick with the Cherries for now, as the queue of would-be suitors will only get bigger.
Juan Gutierrez, 45, was on the coaching staff at Malaga when Huijsen arrived as a ten-year-old and was snapped up by Juventus — ironically ahead of Real — six years later in 2021.
Gutierrez — known as Juanito — was blown away by the youngster’s leadership qualities then and has watched them grow every year since, even though he is still so young.
But he thinks that would come to a grinding halt at the Bernabeu, as the European champions have always preferred tried-and-tested to potential.
Juanito insisted: “Dean is going to be a leader no matter where he goes, so I hope whoever signs him they play him as a starter, and he’s not a project for the future. He is a player for now.
“There are very few like that at his age, which is why I don’t know to what extent it would be a good option to sign for Real.
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“No one can guarantee you’ll play because of your pretty face but if he leaves Bournemouth, it shouldn’t be to sit on the bench.
“At Madrid, Eder Militao is 27 and Antonio Rudiger is in his second youth.
“Those two are untouchable and a recovered David Alaba would also be ahead of him.
“Carlo Ancelotti is an incredible manager but not a coach for young players — so Dean would be fourth-choice centre-back. That’s the reality.
“Barcelona is the opposite. They’re not afraid to use players from the academy but at Real the problem is the mentality of the club. Dean has to go to a place with a vision for the future, with guarantees he’ll play.
“But maybe staying at Bournemouth with Andoni Iraola for another year is the best option.”
It has been so far for Huijsen, who was capped by Spain in the recent Nations League break and is due to be in the Bournemouth side heading to West Ham on Saturday.
Ramos and Van Dijk comparisons
Juanito is convinced those caps are the first of many for a player some liken to Sergio Ramos — but who he reckons could be as influential as Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool.
He added: “Maybe mentally, I can see little things similar to Ramos but on the pitch there is no comparison. Dean is more disciplined and, certainly at this age, more confident.
“From the start he was a marvel. He’d listen to what you told him and absorb it incredibly well. He would recognise a mistake and the next day would improve.
“Dean just doesn’t feel any pressure and has unlimited self-confidence.
“If injuries are not a problem then, whoever signs him, he’ll be a cheap buy because he will be a dominant defender in world soccer for many years to come.
“Wherever he goes, I could see him having the same impact Van Dijk has had on Liverpool’s history in recent seasons. The only team he’s not going to change is Real Madrid.”