Twenty-year-old center-back Dean Huijsen appears set to make the switch to Chelsea after a stellar season with Bournemouth. The Telegraph reported that Chelsea have decided to activate Huijsen’s £50 million release clause, forcing Bournemouth to negotiate with the London club. The move marks a significant turning point for the Spanish international, who has attracted the attention of many of Europe’s top clubs.

After impressing with Bournemouth, Huijsen has been on the radar of several clubs, including Liverpool and, of course, Real Madrid. Although both Huijsen and his father have expressed their desire to join the Madrid club, the opportunity to play in Madrid still seems uncertain. Chelsea, on the other hand, seems to have a head start. According to Matt Law of the Telegraph, Chelsea is offering Huijsen the opportunity to become a regular, something Liverpool cannot guarantee due to the undeniable presence of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. At just 20 years old, Huijsen’s main goal is to play regularly, and Chelsea seems to be the ideal place for that.

Chelsea’s current defense includes Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoît Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, and Josh Acheampong. Acheampong is too young, Badiashile lacks stability, and Fofana is returning from a serious injury. This leaves an ideal spot for Huijsen, who can adapt to different positions in the defense thanks to his ability to play with either foot. According to Matt Law, Chelsea has already discussed his future role with Huijsen and is now waiting to pay Bournemouth’s £50 million release clause to finalize the transfer.

However, one crucial point remains: Huijsen wants to include a termination clause in his contract, which would allow him to leave for Real Madrid if the opportunity arises in the future. While Real Madrid has yet to show any concrete interest in him, rumors in Madrid suggest that Florentino Perez continues to favor defenders nearing the end of their contracts, a strategy that could see Huijsen slip through the cracks.

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will be able to finalize this deal quickly, and whether the Spanish international could one day join his dream club, Real Madrid. But for now, Chelsea appears to have taken a decisive lead in this race.