The Spanish national team have serious ‘concerns’ about Chelsea disrupting their European Under-21 Championship plans by signing Dean Huijsen.
Huijsen swapped Juventus for Bournemouth last summer and the 20-year-old has shone at the heart of Andoni Iraola’s defence across an outstanding debut season in the Premier League.
The youngster has made 29 appearances in all competitions for the Cherries and further cemented his reputation as one of the most promising centre-backs in world football.
A host of elite clubs from around Europe have been keeping close tabs on Huijsen’s performances throughout the campaign, with the likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal and Liverpool credited with a strong interest in recent months.
However, reports last week suggested Chelsea had stolen a march on their rivals and were now leading the hotly contested race to capture the former Juve and Roma centre-half.
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According to Spanish publication AS, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca ideally wants Huijsen through the doors at Stamford Bridge in time for the Club World Cup, taking place in the United States between June 14 and July 13.
This, in turn, would put Huijsen at risk of missing Spain’s Euro U21 campaign, which kicks off just three days prior to the Club World Cup.
Huijsen is central to Spain’s plans for the tournament in Slovakia and his absence was felt as the side slumped to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Germany last month.
The defender missed the game after being promoted to Luis de la Fuente’s squad as cover for injured trio Inigo Martinez, Aymeric Laporte and Dani Vivian. The Bournemouth man went on to make his senior debut as a substitute Netherlands, the country of his birth.
But Huijsen had been expected to drop back down to the U21s and Spain have been counting on the centre-back remaining at Bournemouth to ensure he is free from club football this summer.
Huijsen has a €60million (£51m) release clause in his contract at the Vitality Stadium, which Chelsea are prepared to activate in early June.
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The Spaniard’s current deal on the south coast runs through to 2030.
Facing the media ahead of his side’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United, Bournemouth manager Iraola applauded Huijsen for blocking out the noise surrounding his future.
Asked how Huijsen had reacted to the incessant transfer speculation, Iraola replied: ‘From what I see every day, training and playing, I don’t think it is affecting him at all.
‘I see him in the same mood that he normally is. He’s training well and I think he’s playing well also.
‘Even being young, this is not something that is strange for him.
‘He’s coming from big teams, even if he wasn’t in the first-team.
‘But he’s coming from Roma, from Juventus, from teams where these things are probably quite natural and I see him quite normal.’
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