Real Madrid has issued another transfer blow to Liverpool this summer after agreeing a deal to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. Liverpool has been linked with a move for the young Spanish center-back in recent months, but he will head to the Bernabeu in the summer after just one year in the Premier League.
The Huijsen disappointment only adds to Liverpool supporters’ Madrid-fuelled frustrations, after Trent Alexander-Arnold agreed to move to the Bernabeu on a free transfer during the off-season.
Alexander-Arnold ran his contract down and is expected to link up with Madrid in time for the start of the Club World Cup, which gets under way in the middle of June.
He will be joined at the tournament by Huijsen, after Madrid agreed to trigger his $66 million release clause, which will be paid in instalments over the next three years.
Huijsen has been given permission to undergo his medical in London in the coming days ahead of making the move to the Spanish capital.
The player’s representatives are already in Madrid to finalize the player’s five-year deal. He will play out the season with Bournemouth, which remains in contention for a European place next season, before linking up with the Madrid squad in the United States for the Club World Cup.
Meanwhile, Liverpool is reportedly considering handing Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku a Premier League lifeline after opening talks with the striker.
Nkunku has failed to establish himself at Chelsea since moving to Stamford Bridge in 2023 and is expected to push for a move away from the club during the summer transfer window.
Foot Mercato reports that a deal for Nkunku for a cut-price fee appeals to Liverpool as Arne Slot searches for a new striker to lead the line during the 2025-26 season.
The Reds are interested in signing a new striker; Arne Slot has relied on his wide players for many of Liverpool’s goals, with Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez having managed just 11 Premier League goals between them.
The anticipated sale of Nunez will help to raise funds for a new striker, with Liverpool expecting there to be a strong market for the Uruguayan after rejecting approaches from clubs in Saudi Arabia during the winter window.
One of the offers, from Al-Hilal, was reported to have been worth $93 million, and if the club can command a similar fee this summer, it could go some way to ensuring the Reds can replace Nunez with a top-class striker.
