In a recent report, Tuttosport stated that Newcastle United are locked in a three-way battle for Juventus defender Dean Huijsen this summer. It is believed that the Magpies would face competition in the form of Borussia Dortmund and Girona in the race to land the Spanish centre-half in this transfer window.
Huijsen’s Impressive Run Of Form In Italian Football
Huijsen enjoyed a decent loan spell at AS Roma in the previous campaign as he managed to catch the eye at times on the defensive end of the field. The 19-year-old was involved in 14 matches for the Italian outfit last season, netting a couple of goals and earning one assist in all competitions.
The Amsterdam-born talent made most of his appearances off the bench but did well to average 0.8 tackles and 2.0 clearances per game in Serie A. He was even excellent when distributing possession from the back after making 87.1% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Italian football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at his parent club Juventus will expire in the summer of 2028. Hence, the Magpies would have to launch a sizable offer if they want to win the race for his services later this year.
Is Huijsen A Decent Fit For Newcastle United?
Huijsen can get stuck in with a few solid tackles to make life tough for the opposition attackers. He can sense the danger well and doesn’t mind clearing the danger when the opposition are on the offensive.
Standing at 1.97m, the Spanish youngster can use his robust frame to win his fair share of 50-50 duels in the air. However, he is still quite inexperienced at the highest level and would need time to adjust to life at St. James’ Park if Newcastle can devise a way to bring him on board this off-season.
Huijsen would add more bite and steel to Eddie Howe’s defensive department. He is good enough to serve as a decent, rotational piece in Newcastle‘s match-day squad in the coming seasons. However, the Magpies would have to be patient with his progress before they can get the best out of him.
At 19, Huijsen has got a promising future ahead and would be a great fit for the Tyneside club‘s needs in the long run.
