Former stars: He needs time and humility but Huijsen is one of the chosen ones

Halfway through his first season at Real Madrid, Dean Huijsen – the most expensive defender in the club’s history, at around $63 million – has followed a thorny path. The early excitement surrounding his signing has given way to doubts about his credentials as an elite center back at the most demanding club in the world. 

His fragility in some high-profile games, and the bitter aftertaste left by his poor performance against Sevilla, have prompted a period of self-criticism during the Christmas break. AS spoke to several historic Madrid defenders to assess, from experience, both the positives in the Amsterdam-born Spaniard’s game and the areas he still needs to improve.

A kind teacher would probably give the so-called Chill Guy a narrow pass in his first report card under the Bernabéu spotlight, while a stricter one might send him for remedial work. Manolo Sanchís, a Madrid legend with 720 appearances over 18 seasons in white, belongs firmly to the indulgent camp. “He’s a player with fantastic qualities to play center back. I’m fascinated by his tremendous ability to bring the ball out from the back, and he’s intuitive – something that’s very important at Madrid. Clearly he has weaknesses, but he has the age and the physical and mental capacity to correct them little by little and become a defender for the ages.” That is the assessment of one of Real Madrid’s four One Club Men.

As for the future, Sanchís has no doubts. “He’s had some weaker games – against Liverpool, Sevilla and a few others against big teams – where he’s struggled physically and, at times, has been looser on the ball. But his foundation is magnificent and I’m convinced he’ll become a very important player for Madrid over the next few years.”

“More aggression in duels”

Despite a clear dip in form and some glaring moments of insecurity, Rafa Alkorta, who spent 18 seasons in Spain’s top flight and played in three World Cups, has complete faith in Huijsen. “Adapting to the demands of playing for Real Madrid isn’t easy, and Huijsen is right in the middle of that process. Of course he has things to improve – he’s very young – but he has a magnificent future ahead of him.” Alkorta highlights a rare trait: it’s unusual to see a defender of his height equally comfortable with both feet, something that underpins his ability to play out from the back and opens up a wide range of options on the pitch.

On the sense of insecurity in some challenges and the surprising passing errors, the Bilbao native – who won three titles at Madrid – sees no reason for alarm. “Where he needs to evolve most is aggression in duels. A center back has to be forceful and combative in physical battles. He knows he’s under intense scrutiny and mistakes hurt him mentally, but his technical quality and room for improvement are enormous. When the team improves, he will too.”

“He must improve concentration”

Surrounded by an environment that has not helped his development – nerves, tension, mediocre play and a general sense of vulnerability – Huijsen has at times been swallowed by the black hole. Still, it’s striking how many former players who lived through similar spells maintain absolute faith in him. Iván Campo, with extensive Premier League experience and five years at Madrid, is one of them. “My overall impression after his first few months is quite good. The hardest thing is adapting to Madrid after coming from a much less powerful team like Bournemouth, and he’s doing that little by little.” His qualities, Campo says, are beyond doubt: speed, positioning, clarity of ideas, comfort with both feet and an ability to thread passes.

His strengths are obvious, and his flaws – perhaps temporary – too. “Madrid forces you to perform at a very high level all the time because you’re under the microscope every game, and mistakes are magnified more than elsewhere. That’s why he needs to improve his concentration and avoid lapses. He’ll already have realized how significant everything is when you wear white – you can’t switch off for a second. He needs experience and to assume more responsibility, because I think he’s a top-class player capable of becoming one of the best center backs in the world.”

“Let’s not forget he’s 20”

The solidity of the Marbella-born defender as a fully reliable center back has eroded in recent months, but time is on his side to reverse that loss of confidence. Paco Pavón, a humble standard-bearer of the Galácticos era who also survived dark passages, is equally convinced. “His composure and his ability to bring the ball out are his biggest assets. Of course he has to improve every aspect of his game, but let’s not forget he’s 20.” Overall, Pavón believes his development has been good given the pressure of playing center back at Madrid at that age. His level has dipped recently, like that of the whole group, but he shouldn’t be expected to lead the response alone. When Madrid regain confidence, Pavón says, so will he.

“More forceful and decisive”

Fernando Sanz, a product of Madrid’s academy who spent four years with the first team, is not worried in the slightest about the young defender’s slump. “He has a strong personality and never hides. That willingness to step up is a plus, even when there are isolated mistakes, because it shows character.” Sanz loves him as a center back, particularly for his ball distribution, and predicts a successful spell in Madrid despite the team’s current struggles. He acknowledges Huijsen has gone from more to less, but believes he’ll recover. Youth will bring learning, and learning improvement. The key, Sanz says, is becoming more forceful and decisive when situations demand it.

“Capacity to adapt”

If Huijsen needs a boost of confidence to rediscover his best version, there’s no shortage of volunteers. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente remains one of his strongest backers. “If I had to highlight one quality, it might be maturity. For his age and position, he’s very mature. He’s a chosen one, with the ability to adapt to a permanently stressful environment and maximum demands every game.” Generally, pressure doesn’t overwhelm him – a positive sign. With exceptional physical and footballing attributes, he now needs time and humility to keep refining them. De la Fuente’s verdict is clear: he’s a center back you can trust completely.

Huijsen’s image may be bruised, but the select group rallying around him offers real hope. Now he must halt the slide into skepticism and recover positive momentum. Youth is an advantage, but time moves faster at Madrid than anywhere else, and mistakes are harder to hide. His attitude, and his ability to rise above criticism and negativity, will be decisive in shaping his comeback.