By Sam McGuire
With half of the season now within the historical past books, it’s changing into a lot clearer who truly received the switch window and which participant has the most effective declare to the title of discount of the summer season.
Bournemouth. The Cherries are the winners after their buy of Dean Huijsen for simply £16million. The centre-back is now being chased by Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis having impressed in his first few months within the English high flight.
What makes this much more outstanding is the very fact he solely began two of the opening 13 video games for Andoni Iraola’s facet. Since breaking into the beginning XI having settled into life within the Premier League, Huijsen has bossed, nicely, every part. He’s made the FotMob Staff of the Week in 4 of his final seven appearances.
He made the matchday 14 crew with a score of 8.3 after netting the winner towards Spurs. The previous Juventus teen then made the crew on successive machdays, 17 and 18, with rankings of 8.3 and eight.4 Considered one of these arrived towards Manchester United in a 3-0 win for the Cherries, one other recreation wherein Huijsen discovered the again of the web. He missed Staff of the Week for Matchday 19 however returned for Matchday 20, as Iraola’s facet claimed a win over Everton to maneuver to inside three factors of fourth-placed Chelsea.
Key to this climb up the desk has been a gentle move of unpolluted sheets. The Cherries have stored 5 clear sheets all season, three have arrived of their final 4 outings. Actually, Huijsen has been current for all however a kind of performances.
The 19-year-old has had a transformative affect on this facet following his transfer in the summertime. The 6″5′ centre-back, who spent the second half of final season on mortgage at AS Roma, was extremely rated throughout his time in Italy however there had been query marks over his suitability to first-team soccer proper now.
Switch skilled Jatin Dietl had some reservations this summer season when the centre-back was linked with Liverpool and Newcastle, saying: “He was not (but) on the degree to be a starter for a membership like Roma. However he has plenty of potential and intensely good approach for a central defender.
“Generally at Roma he even performed in midfield. He’s very elegant however he lacks expertise in one-v-one defensive conditions and he additionally has to develop bodily to adapt to the upper necessities of high degree soccer. So I’d say it might be an funding sooner or later, but when he develops nicely he can change into an excellent trendy defender.”
These reservations seem to have been misplaced with the 19-year-old seamlessly adapting to life within the English high tier. A lot so, the truth is, he’s now being courted by the champions of England and the reigning champions of Europe.
His profession has been a wierd one.
Born in Amsterdam, his dad and mom moved to Spain when he was a teen and he grew up idolising Sergio Ramos. He was on the books of Malaga earlier than Juventus snapped him up. He was anticipated to be the subsequent nice defender to play for the Outdated Girl of Italian soccer however was sacrificed with Juventus needing to boost funds for a rebuild.
Bournemouth snapping him up was considered as a coup on the time. Now it seems to be a masterstroke.
His recreation showcases his upbringing. There’s a Dutch bluntness to his methods blended with a Spanish aptitude. The actual fact he’s now taking part in for Spain forward of the Netherlands is a large blow to the latter who might nicely have seen him as a long-term inheritor to Virgil van Dijk.
Within the English high flight this time period, he’s received, on common 75% of his tackles. He’s profitable nearly 5 duels per 90 and his aerial duel win charge at present stands at 60%. The latter determine will doubtless rise as he grows into his physique. It has to. He’s 6″5′!
His aggressiveness with out the ball, mixed along with his composure in possession, has helped give the Cherries a platform within the Premier League this time period.
They’re seventh within the league having allowed simply 23 objectives in 20 matches. They’ve conceded fewer objectives than the likes of Manchester Metropolis (27), Chelsea (24) and Aston Villa (32). They’re averaging simply 1.2 objectives towards per recreation, the fifth greatest report within the league. It’s a staggering enchancment on the 1.8 they conceded final time period.
Solely 4 groups have a decrease xG Conceded complete than Bournemouth’s 24.9. And three of these groups – Liverpool, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest – make up the highest three within the Premier League.
Bournemouth have assembled a squad made up of plenty of expertise with enormous potential. The one with essentially the most potential, nonetheless, may nicely be Huijsen. How he finishes the season may nicely dictate how a lot the Cherries financial institution when he’s inevitably bought in the summertime.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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