Bournemouth have announced the signing of Dean Huijsen from Juventus.
The 19-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Roma, where he made 14 appearances in all competitions.
After completing his loan spell, it soon became clear that Juventus were willing to sanction a sale to generate funds for their own transfer business.
Premier League giants Liverpool were linked with a move, while there was also said to be interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Wolfsburg and Stuttgart.
However, it recently emerged that Bournemouth were considering a move for the highly-rated centre-back.
Yep, it's now confirmed 😉
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) July 30, 2024
We're delighted to welcome Dean Huijsen to #afcb 🤝
He's signed a long-term deal, LET'S GO 🍒🍒🍒 pic.twitter.com/lOW6ifghGc
Bournemouth confirm Huijsen signing
Bournemouth have now confirmed that they have won the race to sign Huijsen, unveiling the defender as the latest addition to Andoni Iraola's squad.
They have reportedly agreed an initial €15m (£12.6m) fee with Juventus, which could rise to €18m (£15.2m) depending on potential add-ons.
The Spain Under-21 international has put pen to paper on a long-term contract, keeping him at the Vitality Stadium until the summer of 2026.
"We are delighted to bring in a player of such high calibre on a long-term deal," Bournemouth chief executive Neill Blake told the club's official website.
"Dean is someone that has such exciting potential and we are all excited to see where his journey with the club will go.
"We're looking forward to welcoming him to Vitality Stadium and working together to help develop further all the qualities that he already possesses."
Huijsen, who joined Juventus from Malaga in 2021, leaves the Italian giants after making just one appearance for the first team.
© Reuters
Huijsen adds to Iraola's defensive options
The Cherries have seemingly signed Huijsen as a replacement for Lloyd Kelly, who left the Cherries to sign for Newcastle United on a free transfer earlier this summer.
As it stands, Iraola will enter the new season with four central-defensive options in Huijsen, Ilya Zabarnyi, Marcos Senesi and Chris Mepham, although the latter has been linked with a move away from the Vitality Stadium.
Huijsen becomes the third new face to join Iraola's squad this summer following the arrivals of Alex Paulsen and Daniel Jebbison.
The Cherries have also signed Luis Sinisterra and Enes Unal on permanent transfers following their respective loan deals.
