Real Madrid new arrival turned down a superior offer from Chelsea this summer – report | OneFootball

Dean Huijsen has been at Real Madrid for a little over two months now, but is already becoming an important cog in the team.

Indeed, the young centre-back, who was signed from Bournemouth for €58 million, is set to be a cornerstone in Xabi Alonso’s project at the Santiago Bernabeu and has impressed so far in his appearances.

Chelsea tried to beat Real Madrid to Huijsen signing

However, things could have turned out very different for Huijsen and Real Madrid this summer.

Indeed, according to Defensa Central, Chelsea emerged as Real Madrid’s strongest competitor in the race to sign Huijsen this summer.

The London club, desperate to reinforce their defence, attempted to secure the Spanish international on three separate occasions during the summer transfer window, with their final offer the most determined.

Huijsen rejected Chelsea for Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

In this proposal, Enzo Maresca’s side not only agreed to pay Huijsen’s €58 million release clause in full and upfront, but also offered the player an annual salary €2 million higher than Real Madrid’s package.

Despite this, Huijsen opted for Real Madrid, a decision that has left the club’s executives grateful for the personal sacrifice he made in order to join the team.

For Huijsen, the choice was never in doubt. For him, the opportunity to play for Real Madrid outweighed financial incentives offered by Chelsea.

The youngster’s commitment to Los Blancos was clear from the start, something he reiterated in his unveiling press conference, saying:

“It is the best day of my life. It’s a dream to be here. I’ll give everything for the team.”

The Spanish international is widely regarded as a generational talent with the potential to become a key figure at the Santiago Bernabeu.