Huijsen Reborn Under Mourinho at Real Madrid

Dean Huijsen is experiencing a resurgence at Real Madrid, largely credited to the influence of his former coach Jose Mourinho. The two briefly worked together at AS Roma in early 2024, a period that left a lasting impression on Mourinho, who saw significant potential in the then-18-year-old defender.

Mourinho, now at the helm of Real Madrid, has shown considerable faith in Huijsen, starting him in key matches despite the player's inconsistent previous season. Huijsen's transfer to Real Madrid for a reported 58 million euros from Bournemouth had initially raised some doubts due to his fluctuating form. However, Mourinho's belief in the young talent, stemming from their short stint in Rome, has been a driving force.

During pre-season, Huijsen began shedding his doubts, improving with each match. His standout performance came in the final summer friendly against Schalke. This form carried into the league, where Mourinho opted for Huijsen and Ibrahima Konaté as the central defensive pairing for the season opener against Espanyol, ahead of Antonio Rüdiger.

Huijsen repaid Mourinho's confidence with a solid performance against Espanyol, excelling in ball distribution, winning duels, and maintaining concentration. This marks a significant turnaround for the player, who had a less-than-ideal start to his Real Madrid career after joining with high expectations.

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He is an 18-year-old boy who has only played ten minutes in Serie A. But he is one of the highest quality projects in European football at this age. In the future, he will be a great player.