Real Madrid’s outgoing manager Carlo Ancelotti has hailed the club’s first summer signing, Dean Huijsen, as a “great player”.
Huijsen’s arrival was confirmed on Saturday, as Bournemouth revealed that Madrid had triggered the £50 million (€59.5 million, $66.4 million) release clause in his contract, making the 20-year-old Spain international the most expensive defender in Real’s history.
Madrid’s accompanying statement revealed that Huijsen would arrive on June 1, 2025. This would provide the towering center-back with ample time to prepare for this summer’s Club World Cup, but it also falls after Ancelotti’s final day at the helm of the Spanish giants.
The Italian is set to take over Brazil’s men’s national team on May 26, yet still found time to laud Madrid’s incoming arrival. “He’s a great player, with a great future and potential,” Ancelotti gushed ahead of his side’s penultimate league fixture against Sevilla on Sunday.
“He’s a very good signing,” Ancelotti continued. “All Real Madrid signings bring excitement, because this team is always at the top and always wants to be at the top. Last year we didn’t think it was possible to strengthen there because we had the return of [David] Alaba and [Éder] Militão and [Dani] Carvajal, but injuries have hurt us.”
Alaba is still trying to rediscover his best form since returning from a lengthy ACL injury while Militão and Carvajal haven’t featured since the early weeks of the season after picking up serious knee issues of their own. Defensive solidity has clearly been an issue for Madrid.
With two games of the La Liga campaign remaining, Madrid have already conceded 12 more goals than they did across the entirety of last season. Ancelotti’s side are set to post the club’s worst defensive record since slumping to a third-place finish in 2018–19.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dean Huijsen: Carlo Ancelotti Delivers Verdict on Record-Breaking Real Madrid Transfer.
