Despite constantly being linked with a move to Liverpool, Dean Huijsen seems laser-focused on the pitch and that was evident against the Netherlands as he impressed in Spain’s latest victory on penalties.
As Liverpool wish to trigger Huijsen’s release clause worth £50 million, the 19-year-old continues to show why he would be worth the investment — as was exemplified by his incredible assist for Lamine Yamal’s goal against the Dutch.
The AFC Bournemouth defender sprayed the ball perfectly in Yamal’s direction, who did what he does best by dancing past Ian Maatsen and firing Spain into a 3-2 lead.
But even when tasked to defend, Dean Huijsen did not put a foot wrong despite coming up against an attack that featured the likes of Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo, Justin Kluivert and Jeremie Frimpong.
Liverpool and Real Madrid are both eyeing Huijsen and either one of Arne Slot or Carlo Ancelotti could get their hands on a phenomenal defensive prospect if he decides to leave Bournemouth this summer.
Arne Slot would’ve loved Dean Huijsen’s passing vs Netherlands
Slot’s system demands having centre-backs of Huijsen’s links who have an expansive range of passing, which is perhaps one of the reasons why the Reds are keen on his signature.
Arne Slot told TNT Sports that in his tactical setup, it is crucial for his centre-backs to be comfortable in possession and find the players further forward at Liverpool, explaining: “I prefer to get the ball to these two (Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister) and that’s why those two (Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate) are so important that we can find them behind those two.”
Liverpool fans love Huijsen and so would Slot as he is unafraid to break the lines and play risky passes due to how terrific he is with the ball at his feet.
Mundo Deportivo lauded Huijsen for how he found Yamal from distance with a raking long ball, a quality they deemed only a few centre-backs across world football possess: “The 19-year-old star excelled in his debut as a starter for the senior team. His assist for Lamine Yamal in the 3-2 goal was the best example of his quality on the ball, something only a select few can achieve.”
Even Sport noticed how composed Huijsen was on the ball, saying: “The 19-year-old surprised everyone with his composure. He delivered a golden pass to Nico Williams, which the striker couldn’t capitalize on in a brutal start to the match. However, the Dutch-born player had to ease off after the break to defend more in the box and was able to play less.”
Comparing Dean Huijsen and Virgil van Dijk stats during Spain vs Netherlands
As Spain and the Netherlands clashed against each other, arguably the best defender in the world in Van Dijk and his potential heir in this regard and at Liverpool in Huijsen also did.
Currently, the youngster has years to go to even be considered in the same league as the Dutch skipper.
But on the night, here is how Huijsen and Van Dijk compared to each other from a statistical standpoint during Spain’s win against the Netherlands.
| STATS DURING SPAIN VS NETHERLANDS | DEAN HUIJSEN | VIRGIL VAN DIJK |
| DRIBBLED PAST | 0 | 2 |
| CLEARANCES | 7 | 8 |
| INTERCEPTIONS | 0 | 2 |
| BLOCKS | 1 | 2 |
| ACCURATE PASSES | 94/104 (90%) | 53/58 (92%) |
| DUELS WON | 0/2 | 2/6 |
Statistically, Van Dijk had the edge over Huijsen in terms of playing a higher percentage of more accurate passes (92%) and winning two duels in particular. But the former Juventus colossus played the most passes out of any player on the pitch (84) and was not dribbled past even once, while the Champions League was and that too twice.
Huijsen’s dream transfer destination is Spain, which is bad news for Liverpool and Arne Slot as both the metrics as well as actually watching him play suggests he is a world-class centre-back in the making.
