Dean Huijsen's Journey at Real Madrid: From Promise to Leadership

Dean Huijsen’s second year at Real Madrid starts with something every young centre-back craves: a real shot at the shirt, not just minutes.

The 21-year-old is expected to line up from the start against Deportivo La Coruña in the Teresa Herrera Trophy later today, having shaken off the minor injury that kept him out of the squad’s trip to Austria. It’s only pre-season, but for Huijsen, nights like this carry weight. This is the moment he has to turn promise into permanence.

From breakout to reality check

Huijsen’s Madrid story really took off just over a year ago, at the Club World Cup in June 2025. Real Madrid did not lift the trophy, but the young defender walked away as one of the few clear positives in Xabi Alonso’s side. Composed on the ball, aggressive in duels, he looked like a natural fit in white.

That form rolled straight into the early weeks of La Liga. Huijsen played with authority, stepped into midfield, broke lines, defended with personality. Then the team hit their first serious slump of the season. Results dipped. So did his level.

What had looked like confidence occasionally tipped into overconfidence. A few lapses in concentration crept in, the kind that turn solid nights into nervous ones. His performances became streaky. Eventually, he lost his status as an automatic starter.

To his credit, he responded. The final stretch of the campaign brought a more mature version of Huijsen: cleaner in his decision-making, sharper in his positioning, less eager to prove a point with every touch. That late-season recovery is the version he wants to carry into this new campaign.

No. 4 on his back, bigger expectations on his shoulders

Inside Valdebebas, everyone knows the scale of the bet Madrid have placed on Huijsen. He knows it too. He does not just want to be another option; he wants to grow into a leader of the back line.

One factor plays strongly in his favour: Jose Mourinho knows exactly who he is and what he can do. When Mourinho was at AS Roma, he personally pushed to bring Huijsen in on loan. That spell in Serie A toughened him up and sped up his development before his move to the Premier League.

Now the two are reunited at the Bernabéu, this time with Mourinho in charge of Real Madrid and Huijsen trying to nail down a long-term role. His pre-season so far suggests he is ready for the fight. He started both training matches at Valdebebas, then had to pause with minor physical issues that ruled him out of the first official friendly against Fiorentina in Austria.

He came back in the game against Ferencváros, playing the second half as he worked back towards full fitness and rhythm. The club’s faith in him is obvious: he has been handed the No. 4 shirt, a number with weight and history at Madrid.

Now comes the unforgiving part. Shirt numbers and potential do not win you a starting place. Week after week of reliability does.

Konaté arrives, standards rise

The landscape around him has shifted. David Alaba is gone. In his place, Ibrahima Konaté has arrived at the Bernabéu to raise the bar in central defence and to test Huijsen and every other centre-back in the squad.

For Huijsen, that makes the next few months decisive. He already understands Mourinho’s demands. The talent is there, the trust from the club is there, and the pathway is clear. But Real Madrid centre-backs are judged on consistency, not flashes.

If he can turn last season’s lessons into a full campaign of calm, commanding performances, the No. 4 shirt will stop being a promise and start becoming a statement.

Midfield in flux: Camavinga and Tchouameni on United’s radar

While Huijsen fights for his place at the back, Madrid’s midfield has been the subject of constant debate all summer.

The club’s manoeuvring in the middle of the pitch has been closely tied to their pursuit of big names. One of those was Bernardo Silva, whom Madrid have now successfully brought in, adding another layer of competition to an already crowded area.

Through all this, the futures of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga have repeatedly come under scrutiny. Both have been floated as possible exits at different points, even Tchouameni, who is understood to have agreed a new contract.

According to ESPN journalist Rob Dawson, speaking on The United Stand, Manchester United are keeping a close eye on both French midfielders as potential “market opportunities” if the situation in Madrid shifts.

Camavinga sounded out to Premier League clubs

Dawson revealed that intermediaries had already tested the waters around Camavinga before the window truly opened.

“United were told before the summer that Real Madrid were going to look to try and get a few players out the door,” Dawson said. “As far as I know, Camavinga was offered to Premier League clubs by intermediaries just to gauge interest.”

That aligns with the uncertainty around his role. Camavinga wants to stay at Madrid, but under Mourinho he has not yet nailed down an undisputed starting spot. Pre-season has not helped his case: at 23, with chances to impress, he has struggled to dominate games in the way the staff would have hoped.

Tchouameni: agreement but unanswered questions

Tchouameni’s situation, Dawson suggested, is not identical. The French international is believed to have agreed a new long-term deal with Los Blancos, but the club have yet to make anything official. That delay leaves a sliver of doubt around his future, even if Madrid’s intention appears to be to keep him.

United are not driving hard for either player. They are watching, waiting, ready to react if the door opens.

“I think United are looking at those two as market opportunities,” Dawson said, before stressing that any move would depend on several factors aligning. “You have to be sure that they want to play for Man United, that they want to leave Real Madrid and they’re not just being forced out, you have to make sure that they fit into your wage structure.”

Rodri miss keeps the door open

One thing is clear: had Madrid managed to sign Rodri, the picture would look very different. Bringing in the Spaniard at the base of midfield would almost certainly have pushed at least one of Tchouameni or Camavinga towards the exit this summer.

Missing out on Rodri changes the equation. It keeps the door open for both Frenchmen to convince Mourinho they belong at the heart of his project.

Everything now hinges on what Madrid do between today and the close of the window. If they still move for another holding midfielder, United’s “market opportunity” might quickly become something more concrete.

If they do not, and if Camavinga and Tchouameni seize their chance, Madrid’s midfield could be locked in for years. And then the question will not be who leaves, but who has done enough to become untouchable in Mourinho’s plans.