Liverpool is reportedly ready to activate the buyout clause in Dean Huijsen’s contract with Bournemouth, as they see him as a long-term successor to their current captain, Virgil van Dijk. The young defender, who stands at an impressive 6ft 5in, was signed by Bournemouth from Juventus for £12.6 million just last July. However, it appears that Liverpool has emerged as the frontrunner in the race for his signature, with several other clubs, including Manchester United and Tottenham, also keen on securing his services. Liverpool is expected to make their intentions known once the summer transfer window opens.
The buyout clause in Huijsen’s contract is believed to be set at £50 million, a figure that the Premier League leaders can comfortably afford, unlike their rivals, who may struggle to meet such a valuation without the guarantee of Champions League football. Unless Manchester United or Tottenham clinch the Europa League title, they will be unable to offer Huijsen the allure of playing in Europe’s elite competition. Additionally, there are established connections between Liverpool’s Anfield and Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium that could play a pivotal role in the transfer.
Read Next
Liverpool fans should be careful what they wish for – just look at De Bruyne
Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director, has a unique history with Bournemouth, having served as their technical director until last summer. Although the signing of Huijsen was completed shortly after Hughes’s move to Liverpool, he played a significant role in bringing the young defender from Juventus to Bournemouth, where Huijsen had only made one senior appearance. His standout performances while on loan at Roma served as a catalyst for Bournemouth’s decision to bring the Dutch-born, Spanish-raised player to the Premier League.
Virgil van Dijk, who has been the backbone of Liverpool’s defense since his £75 million transfer from Southampton in December 2017, has only three months left on his current contract. Following Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final triumph over Tottenham, Van Dijk, who will turn 34 in July, expressed uncertainty regarding his future, stating he had “no idea” what lay ahead.
Much like Van Dijk, Huijsen is a right-footed player capable of operating effectively as a left-centre-back, demonstrating a remarkable ability to advance the ball from the backline. Ibrahima Konate, Van Dijk’s usual partner in defense, has shown considerable improvement this season; however, the 25-year-old still exhibits occasional lapses in concentration and was fortunate to avoid a red card in the first leg of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
With the club seemingly resigned to the possibility of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer, Liverpool is facing a substantial defensive overhaul. While investing heavily in a 19-year-old might seem like a gamble, Huijsen has already proven himself to be a versatile and technically proficient defender, fluent in four languages, which further enhances his value to the team.
