“Liverpool transfer target close to agreeing terms as Club World Cup approaches – Ben Jacobs reports initial agreement in place.”
Liverpool appear increasingly likely to miss out on signing Dean Huijsen this summer.
With Xabi Alonso expected to take over at Real Madrid at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, the Spanish giants seem to be reconsidering their defensive options.
Liverpool have been actively seeking reinforcements at the back, having shown consistent interest in fullbacks Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.
Real Madrid, however, have reportedly reached a verbal agreement for Huijsen’s transfer.
Not long ago, both Liverpool and Arsenal were considered frontrunners to land the young defender. Since leaving Juventus, the Spanish international has had an outstanding debut season in English football.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, those performances have drawn Real Madrid’s attention. According to Ben Jacobs via X (formerly Twitter), the club is now close to finalising personal terms with Huijsen.
The centre-back is expected to head to Madrid this summer, potentially joining Liverpool’s outgoing right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Why were Liverpool interested in Huijsen?
At just 20, Huijsen has already shown immense potential—enough to attract serious interest from Liverpool. Although he hasn’t yet reached the club’s usual benchmark of 150 senior games, his 30 Premier League appearances suggest significant progress.
With a reported £50 million release clause, the fee seemed reasonable for a Premier League-ready defender with strong underlying stats.
Liverpool’s defensive concerns persist
The Reds are currently dealing with reliability issues at centre-back. Virgil van Dijk remains the most dependable figure, but performances from Jarell Quansah have dipped during the 2024/25 season. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez have missed a combined 35 matches due to injury.
There’s also uncertainty surrounding Konaté’s long-term future, as his contract is set to expire next summer.
In light of these issues, Liverpool are expected to seek new defensive reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window—though Huijsen now appears to be off the table.
