Dean Huijsen: The Leading Candidate for Real Madrid's Defence
Real Madrid’s new season is almost here, and the noise around the Bernabéu is not just about the six summer signings. It’s about who Jose Mourinho will trust to marshal the heart of his defence.
He has options. Big ones. Antonio Rudiger. Eder Militao. The newly arrived Ibrahima Konate. But right now, one name is edging ahead of them all on the left side of central defence: Dean Huijsen.
Huijsen steps to the front
According to MARCA, Huijsen is currently the leading candidate to start as Real Madrid’s main left-sided centre-back. That’s not a romantic pre-season story; it’s rooted in something very simple: profile and performance.
He is the only centre-back in the squad truly comfortable on both feet, not locked into being purely right-footed. In a Mourinho backline that demands clean build-up and precision under pressure, that matters. A lot.
And Huijsen hasn’t just looked good in training. He has momentum.
In the recent friendly at the Teresa Herrera Trophy against Deportivo La Coruna, in his first start under Mourinho, the Spaniard delivered the kind of display coaches remember when they sit down to pick a team. He led the backline with authority, racking up seven successful defensive actions and not losing a single duel.
No frills. No fuss. Just control.
That performance didn’t suddenly turn him into a star, but it did something almost as important: it reinforced the belief inside the club that Huijsen has the tools to grow into an undisputed starter and a long-term pillar of Real Madrid’s defence.
The weight of the number four
If there was any doubt about how he sees himself, his shirt choice ended it.
With David Alaba gone, Huijsen has taken the iconic number four. At Real Madrid, that is not just a number printed on polyester. It’s a statement.
Sergio Ramos wore it. Fernando Hierro wore it. Two captains, two defensive symbols of entire eras. That kind of history can crush a player or sharpen him.
Huijsen has chosen to embrace it.
"It was always my dream to play for Real Madrid and wear the number four. As a child, my idol was always Sergio Ramos," he wrote on social media.
It’s a line that will resonate with supporters who grew up watching Ramos drag Madrid through finals and title races. It also raises the stakes. When you put on that shirt, you invite comparison every single week.
The one cloud over a clear opportunity
For all the tactical fit and emotional symbolism, one question still hangs over Huijsen: can his body keep up with his ambition?
Injuries disrupted his previous campaign and cost him a place in Spain’s World Cup squad. Just when he looked ready to take a bigger step, his progress stalled.
That concern has not vanished. Last week, he again trained alone for long stretches due to discomfort, a reminder that his physical condition remains the one major obstacle between him and a guaranteed starting role.
Mourinho will not ignore that. He cannot. With Konate added to Rudiger and Militao, Real Madrid have depth, and the competition for minutes will be unforgiving.
But as the new season looms, the picture is clear: tactically, technically and symbolically, the path is open for Dean Huijsen to become the left-sided anchor of Mourinho’s defence.
Now it comes down to the one battle he can’t win with positioning or timing in a duel: can he stay fit long enough to turn promise into permanence?
