Report: Chelsea and Liverpool target £50m defender in summer race | OneFootball

Chelsea and Liverpool in Race for Huijsen as Bournemouth Prepare for Premier League Bidding War

In the slow-burn chaos of the summer transfer window, the case of Dean Huijsen offers a curious blend of old-school recruitment and modern market forces. One player, three elite clubs, and one £50 million clause that may soon be tested by the tectonic weight of Premier League ambition.

At 19, Huijsen has emerged not merely as a defensive revelation at Bournemouth, but as the kind of ball-playing centre-half modern football craves — calm in possession, aggressive without it, and already a full international. Chelsea and Liverpool are circling. Real Madrid are watching. Bournemouth are bracing.

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Interest from Premier League giants intensifies

As The Independent reports, both Chelsea and Liverpool are actively exploring a deal. Stamford Bridge sources suggest Chelsea have edged ahead in preliminary negotiations. But in transfer windows, “progress” is often a temporary illusion. Liverpool, monitoring the situation closely, could be forced to accelerate their plans — especially with Virgil van Dijk’s future unresolved. The 33-year-old has yet to commit to new terms at Anfield, creating a potential leadership void in the heart of defence.

Madrid lurk in the background

Then there’s Real Madrid. Less urgent, more methodical, but no less influential. As the report states, the Spanish giants believe their current standing in world football — having “refashioned themselves into the most powerful side in the world again” — gives them sway should they enter the bidding seriously. And they may.

Huijsen, born in Amsterdam but raised in Marbella, chose Spain over the Netherlands at international level. In March, he made his debut in the Nations League quarter-final against the Dutch — booed by some of his birth nation’s fans. “It was a dream,” Huijsen said of the experience. The dream, it seems, is just getting started.

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For Liverpool and Chelsea supporters, this is the type of signing that excites — not just because Huijsen is talented, but because it signals strategic planning. For Liverpool, the 19-year-old feels like the heir apparent to Van Dijk. Tall, composed, technically gifted, and already battle-tested at international level. Arne Slot would see him as a natural fit for a high defensive line and possession-dominant approach. If Van Dijk does leave, this move suddenly becomes urgent rather than ideal.

For Chelsea, the appeal is just as strong. A club committed to young, high-ceiling talent, they’ll see Huijsen as another piece of the long-term rebuild — someone who can grow alongside Levi Colwill and Benoît Badiashile. The fact they’re reportedly ahead in talks is promising.

But there’s an elephant in the room — Real Madrid. Once they move, they usually close. That’s why fans of both English clubs will want this deal done early. If Madrid join the party, the mood may quickly change from hopeful to helpless.