Born in the Netherlands but raised in Spain since he was five years old, Dean Huijsen has been one of the standout center-backs in the Premier League this season. 

A Rising Star in England

At 19 years old—soon to be 20—and standing at 1.97 meters tall, Huijsen has quickly made a name for himself. He joined Bournemouth last summer with the full confidence of Andoni Iraola, something Juventus never showed. The Italian club let him go for just €15 million, a bargain considering his potential, present form, and future prospects. In hindsight, Juve may regret not holding onto him or securing a better deal.

Huijsen is the son of Donny Huijsen, a former youth player at Ajax who shared the pitch with legends like Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert. Moving to Spain at a young age, Dean developed in Málaga’s academy until he was 16, when Juventus recruited him. After progressing through the Italian club’s youth system, he was loaned to Roma in early 2024, where he played 14 matches and scored twice—enough to convince Iraola to sign him for Bournemouth.

The move wasn’t an instant success. Huijsen started just two of the first ten league games for Bournemouth, but everything changed on December 5 against Tottenham Hotspur. His towering header at the far post secured a win for the Cherries, and his celebration—hands in his pockets, mimicking the viral meme "I'm Just a Chill Guy"—made him an internet sensation.

Since that moment, Huijsen has played every possible minute in the Premier League, leading Bournemouth to an 11-match unbeaten streak—the longest in club history. With just nine games left in the season, the team is in a strong position to qualify for European competition for the first time ever.

Spain’s Next Defensive Leader?

Former Málaga and Almería player Juanito, who coached Huijsen in his youth days, recalled: “Real Madrid, Barcelona, Villarreal—they all wanted him.” He also praised the defender’s attacking ability: “I'm sure there will be seasons where he scores seven or eight goals. Not many center-backs can do that. Sergio Ramos and Fernando Hierro were among the few.”

Alongside Ilia Zabarnyi, Huijsen forms the youngest center-back duo in the Premier League. His call-up to the Spanish national team was only a matter of time, though it ultimately came due to a last-minute injury to Iñigo Martínez.

After playing for the Netherlands at youth levels until the U-19s, Huijsen switched his allegiance to Spain, making six appearances for the U-21s. Juanito believes the defender made the right choice by joining the Premier League: “A lot of people didn’t understand why he chose Bournemouth, but I think it was the best decision. If you watch him play now, the only thing missing is speed. And the best place to develop that is the Premier League. He could have handled the pace of Serie A or LaLiga, but the Premier League is where he needed to struggle to improve.”

For now, Huijsen is still a young talent, but everything points to him becoming one of the best center-backs in the world.