Chelsea have fallen out of the Premier League’s top four after a number of weeks following their defeat to Manchester City last weekend. Against the Citizens and over several patches of the ongoing season, the Blues have left a lot to be desired defensively with Enzo Maresca likely to rebuild the department over the course of the summer transfer window.
Axel Disasi is already close to joining Aston Villa, whereas Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo could be asked to leave to make room for more central defenders. And while Chelsea remain linked with a number of centre backs, there is a fresh addition to their list of targets in the shape of Bournemouth revelation Dean Huijsen, according to Metro.
Huijsen is having a terrific campaign at the Vitality Stadium and has impressed several of Europe’s top clubs. The 19-year-old remains firmly within Andoni Iraola’s plans and though the Cherries will do all they can to hang onto him beyond 2024/25, it recently emerged that the defender’s contract has a £55 million release clause which the Blues can afford to trigger.
Huijsen perfect for Chelsea’s project
Chelsea have focused on building a young squad with a long-term view of achieving success, a strategy that Enzo Maresca has also bought into. With a defensive overhaul to ensue, there would be no better name to purchase at the moment than one of the Premier League’s best central defenders this season in Dean Huijsen.
Huijsen is a tactically intelligent player and is fantastic when it comes to distributing the ball from the back. He has an imposing physical shape and a superb aerial prowess that is backed by his height of 6 feet and 5 inches. Understandably, the Netherlands-born-Spanish U21 international is also a brilliant attacker of set pieces, as has been visible a number of times this season.
Chelsea will be an attractive destination for the player as well, especially as he will have the possibility of playing with some of the best young players in the Premier League, whereas the Londoners can scupper competition for Huijsen by offering him a very good deal. Therefore, it seems like a match meant to happen as well which Maresca’s side will hope to realise in the summer.
