Real Madrid have reportedly identified Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen as a potential centre-back target.
The 19-year-old struggled for regular starting opportunities in the opening few months of his Bournemouth career after arriving from Juventus in the summer for an initial £12.6m fee.
Andoni Iraola preferred to use Marcos Senesi and Ilya Zabarnyi as his first-choice centre-back pairing, leaving Huijsen to settle for just two starts in the first 13 matches of the Premier League season.
However, an injury to Senesi has allowed Huijsen to showcase his potential as a starter in each of Bournemouth's last five matches.
The Spain Under-21 international has helped the Cherries keep three clean sheets in that five-game period, while he also contributed to their attacking efforts with goals against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
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Real Madrid considering Huijsen move
Huijsen's recent impressive displays are already generating speculation that the defender could leave the Vitality Stadium in upcoming transfer windows.
According to AS, European champions Real Madrid are considering Huijsen as a potential transfer target as they look to bolster Carlo Ancelotti's defensive options.
The report claims that Los Blancos are ready to reignite their interest after previously pushing to sign the youngster when he was part of the Malaga academy.
However, the 19-year-old opted to turn down Real Madrid in favour of joining Italian giants Juventus in 2021.
Having kept tabs on Huijsen's progress, Real Madrid are weighing up whether to make a move in 2025, although they have their doubts as to whether he would be a starter from the outset.
From the player's perspective, he would be reluctant to move to a club where he would have to settle for a role as a backup defender.
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Why are Real Madrid searching for a new centre-back?
Real Madrid have been left light on central defensive options due to Eder Militao and David Alaba's injury issues.
Alaba has been out for over a year with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, although there is hope that he will return to action in the new year.
Meanwhile, Militao is expected to be out for the rest of the season after suffering an ACL injury for the second season in a row.
As a result, Ancelotti has been forced to use young defender Raul Asencio and regular midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni as centre-back partners to Antonio Rudiger.
Los Blancos are seemingly keen to avoid similar issues in the future which is why they are looking to bolster their centre-back options.
In addition to Huijsen, they are said to be considering Al-Nassr's Aymeric Laporte and Arsenal's William Saliba as transfer targets.
However, they are believed to have doubts about Laporte's age, while a move for Saliba may be 'impossible' due to the cost of a potential deal.
Real Madrid are also considering 18-year-old Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis, who has made 22 competitive appearances for Abel Ferreira's side.
