In a recent report, Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that Newcastle United are among the clubs hoping to sign Juventus defender Dean Huijsen. It has been claimed that the Magpies are eyeing a move to acquire the services of the Spanish centre-back but are facing competition from Borussia Dortmund in pursuit of him this summer.
Huijsen’s Impressive Loan Spell At Roma
Huijsen had a solid loan spell at AS Roma recently as he produced a run of impressive displays for them on the defensive third of the pitch. The 19-year-old scored two goals and secured one assist in 14 matches for the Italian club in the league.
The Amsterdam-born talent has been a solid presence when defending inside his half based on his average of 0.8 tackles and 2.0 clearances per game in the Serie A. He has even been tidy when distributing possession from the back after completing 87.1% of his attempted passes in the Italian first division (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at his parent club Juventus will run out in the summer of 2028. Thus, the Magpies would have to make a convincing offer if they are serious about recruiting Huijsen this off-season.
Should Newcastle United Eddie Howe Go For Huijsen?
Huijsen is a tough-tackling defender who can sense the danger quickly to make some timely interceptions for his team on the defensive third of the pitch. The Dutch talent usually puts his foot through the ball when needed and excels at playing his way out from the back.
We can expect Huijsen to add more bite and steel to Newcastle United‘s backline. He has what it takes to fight for a regular first-team spot at St. James’ Park next season. However, he is still quite raw and would need time to prove his worth at the highest level.
At 19, the future looks quite promising for the Dutch defender as long as he continues to improve with each year. Thus, it makes sense for Eddie Howe to focus on bringing him on board before the end of this transfer window.
Huijsen might even help the Magpies challenge across all fronts in the coming years. Therefore, Howe would be wise to go for him this summer.
