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Tottenham interest ‘politely declined’ as defensive star opts for Real Madrid ‘dream’

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Jainil Shah | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 4:55 PM ET

Dean Huijsen had no interest in moving to Tottenham Hotspur amidst Real Madrid dream

We know that Tottenham Hotspur were desperate to bring in a new central defender in the recently concluded summer transfer window. Daniel Levy was scrambling through a list of centre backs in order to land someone who can raise the floor and depth of the current roster.

But while none of those moves ended up materialising, there were a few close calls. And among them was Dean Huijsen. The Lilywhites were one of the few top clubs who were pushing to sign Dean Huijsen over the summer. But the 20-year-old centre-back had his eyes set on a move to Real Madrid.

Huijsen’s father speaks on PL approach

We had Ali Barat (Huijsen’s agent) confirming earlier this month how there were a few Premier League suitors for his signature, with Tottenham being among the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea and Liverpool that came forward with concrete interest to attain his services. And now the defender’s father, Donny, has spoken about how Huijsen turned down those approaches from PL heavyweights, including Tottenham.

He said to AS (as relayed by Sport Witness):

“Many of the big names in European football wanted him – Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle United, etc.

But he politely declined every offer, waiting for that team to arrive. The team of his dreams, the biggest and most fascinating: Real Madrid.”

TTLB Opinion

Huijsen enjoyed an impressive season for Bournemouth, where he clocked up 32 Premier League appearances last season. He went on to have three goals and two assists to his name. But it was his defensive form and technical ability that put him on the radar of nearly every other big European side.

And it was exactly what Tottenham were looking to add for the long term. And for the Lilywhites, missing out on a talent like Huijsen does sting because of the current situation with the new leading centre backs. We have seen Micky van de Ven already attracting serious interest from Real Madrid, among others. And then, while Cristian Romero did sign a new contract in the summer, the Argentine is never too far from pushing a move away, as we saw last season.

This made Daniel Levy push to secure a move for someone who is young but has a high ceiling so Tottenham can build for the future. And Huijsen would have ticked every box. He is someone who has that progressive mindset every time he is on the ball, but then he is also composed when facing pressure. And more importantly, he came with some Premier League minutes under his belt.

But while Tottenham couldn’t sign a new CB in the concluded summer window, it would be among the priority positions when the next one comes around.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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