Bournemouth star's dad drops transfer hint that Real could frustrate LIV again

Real Madrid are poised to bring in Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool over the summer but that might not be the only way in which they frustrate the Premier League side.

Dean Huijsen's father has dropped the biggest hint yet that the defender will join Real Madrid from Bournemouth. The teenager had also been linked with Premier League clubs including Liverpool, who could be left cursing the Spanish giants for a second time in the space of a few days.

Madrid's pursuit of Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold appears to be nearing its conclusion, with the England star expected to move to the Bernabeu on a free transfer. Madrid are also after reinforcements at centre-back, though, which is where Huijsen comes in.

Spanish international Huijsen only joined Bournemouth from Juventus last summer, but his instant impact has alerted some big-hitters. The 19-year-old also won his first two senior caps for his country in the UEFA Nations League double-header against the Netherands in March.

Spanish outlet Diario AS reports that Madrid are ready to part with €50million (£41.7m) to bring the teenager to the Bernabeu, though other sources point to a release clause of £50m. Not only that, but Huijsen's father Don is reported to have shared the front page on his Instagram stories before later deleting his post.

Huijsen Sr also shared a number of photos with his son on the pitch in Valencia after the second leg, along with two Spanish flag emojis. The defender played for the Netherlands all the way up to Under-19 level, but switched to Spain after earning a call-up to the Under-21s in 2024.

Real Madrid have struggled with injuries at the back this season. Alexander-Arnold's anticipated arrival would help soften the blow of Dani Carvajal's long-term absence, with the veteran suffering an ACL injury in October.

Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and David Alaba have all suffered lengthy absences this season. This has forced Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti to improvise at centre-back, with Raul Asencio and Aurelien Tchouameni starting together in a win at Villarreal just before the international break.

“Dean is another great piece of news for Spanish football,” Spain manager De la Fuente told reporters after the second leg against the Netherlands (as translated by The Athletic). “It simply looks like he’s been at the elite level of football for many years. He has fitted so well with our group with his skill set but also his personal values.”

If Madrid do indeed land Huijsen and Alexander-Arnold, it will be back to the drawing board for Liverpool and their manager Arne Slot. Slot is also in danger of losing Virgil van Dijk this summer when the captain's contract expires, while Van Dijk's centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate is out of contract in 2026.

Despite the Huijsen update, Liverpool could still bring in one member of Bournemouth's back-line over the summer. Reds transfer chief Richard Hughes was responsible for bringing left-back Milos Kerkez to the Vitality Stadium in 2023 and could help take the Hungary international to Anfield.