As we enter the second half of the Premier League season, one of the most exciting outfits thus far has certainly been Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side.

The Cherries are currently in a lofty seventh place, having recently achieved a club-record eight-match unbeaten run at the highest level.

Whilst they have a wealth of exciting talent across the pitch, one of the key standouts has been one of their youthful summer signings who they may not have expected to make such an impact at this early stage of his Bournemouth career.

Dean Huijsen is a name on many people’s lips.

The Amsterdam-born Spanish defender has provided some quality performances when deputising for the injured Marcos Senesi.

Having signed from Roma this past summer for around £15 million, Huijsen’s unique build and play style have perfectly matched Iraola’s chaotic and expressive Bournemouth outfit.

At just 19 years old, Huijsen’s defensive maturity and overall composure have caught the eye of major teams across Europe, with the likes of Real Madrid already looking towards the future for a complete central defender to add to their ranks.

With discussions around a senior international call-up on the cards under Luis de la Fuente, our scout report and analysis will begin to highlight why Huijsen has been so impressive in Iraola’s system.

Dean Huijsen Ball-Playing Tendencies

Huijsen has adapted nicely to this excelling Bournemouth system, and his talents are definitely exhibited when his side are looking to advance the ball from their own third.

The young Spaniard certainly fits the bill of the modern ‘ball-playing defender’, with the confidence to evade pressure and match his manager’s preferred method of ball progression.

Bournemouth’s chaotic and energy-driven build-up play under Iraola has been characterised by an intent to be incredibly direct, moving the ball up the pitch as quickly as possible and at the earliest opportunity.

For this reason, Huijsen has recorded an impressive 4.79 progressive passes and 6.41 long passes per 90 this season, placing him within the 84th and 93rd percentiles, respectively, for Premier League central defenders.

Huijsen’s long passing ability is not just an example of his impressive range; it also highlights what would appear to be his ideal method of progression, which Bournemouth have utilised to control possession in more advanced areas of the pitch quickly.

Huijsens positioning in the early stages of build-up often resembles that of a quarterback in American football, especially when facing sides that prefer to press high and intently.