‘I’ve all the time been fairly chilled’: Dean Huijsen on Bournemouth, defending and his celebration | Bournemouth

He is unquestionably some of the thrilling prospects within the recreation – José Mourinho mentioned as a lot round this time final 12 months – however to many Dean Huijsen is only a Chill Man. Final month the 19-year-old celebrated his first Bournemouth purpose, towards Tottenham, by mimicking the favored meme of a human-like canine smirking with paws in pockets, after which did the identical a few weeks later after opening the scoring in a resounding win at Outdated Trafford.

A TikTok clip of Huijsen imitating the picture, posted by Bournemouth, has been considered 11m instances. “I’ve all the time been a reasonably relaxed particular person, fairly chilled,” Huijsen says. “I feel I’m fairly calm on the ball, I make my choices and I don’t get too panicked. I assumed it could be a pleasant celebration however didn’t anticipate it to go so viral. I simply thought it could be humorous – I suppose folks preferred it.”

Huijsen’s manner, on and off the pitch, is in line with that character. Final weekend, in a crushing 4-1 victory at Newcastle that prolonged Bournemouth’s unbeaten run to 11 matches in all competitions (a club-record 10 within the Premier League), he efficiently muted Alexander Isak, and there are occasions the place he seems so comfy he might as effectively sink his palms into his pockets.

Little has flustered Huijsen on his journey thus far, whether or not enjoying up entrance for Costa Unida CF de Marbella as a toddler, making his Juventus debut at San Siro aged 18 or rejecting Actual Madrid two years earlier in favour of a transfer to Serie A. “Italy is famend for producing defenders and being the varsity of defending,” he says. “I noticed that in my time there and that’s what I needed to do, to develop myself general as a defender. I realized rather a lot. Little issues: methods to place your self, methods to mark within the space, the place to face when a cross is coming in, methods to run diagonally backwards … a little bit of the whole lot.

“They actually do work on the defence there and I realized rather a lot from the managers, assistants and from watching movies. I’m actually glad I made that call. Clearly [Real] Madrid is a superb membership, it’s near dwelling, however on the time it was the very best choice for me to make. I really feel prefer it’s labored effectively.”

Huijsen’s household moved from the Netherlands to Spain when he was 5 and final 12 months he pledged his allegiance to the latter regardless of representing the previous from under-16s to under-19s.

“My house is Spain. If I’ve some days off or holidays, I’m going dwelling to Spain. I really feel extra Spanish than I really feel Dutch,” he says. “It’s my nation, I’ve grown up there, so it made sense and it’s simply what felt proper to me.”

He takes the whole lot in his stride, together with a query about showing to rewrite the foundations of being a centre-half; Huijsen wears black gloves, brief sleeves and his socks at half-mast. “The socks, I’ve simply had them like that ever since I used to be little, it’s not for any motive however simply routine, actually,” he says. “The gloves, I’m coming from Spain so I’m fairly chilly in England. Once I play solely my palms get actually chilly so I don’t prefer to put on an undershirt, so I simply have the gloves with brief sleeves.”

There’s one other side to his purpose celebration, too, a nod to his dad and mom, Donny and Mascha, and older brothers, Donny and Daimen. “I’ve just one tattoo,” he says, peeling again his jumper to disclose the “D” on his proper wrist. “Myself, my brothers’ and my dad’s names all begin with a D and all of us bought the identical tattoo about 18 months in the past. So I kiss the D after which I make an M with my palms for my mum. I used to be again dwelling and we determined it could be good if we did it.”

The 6ft 5in Huijsen oozes the sort of confidence Bournemouth famous after they went by way of a presentation with him throughout talks final summer time, that includes clips detailing their historical past and philosophy underneath Andoni Iraola, their spectacular head coach. Huijsen made it plain in these conversations that he felt his aggressive, front-foot model would make Bournemouth the right vacation spot. Iraola and his workers have been significantly impressed together with his maturity, mentality and studying of the sport. “Now we have some nice gamers and I might see the potential after I was wanting on the membership and on the group final summer time,” the Spain under-21 defender says.

Huijsen, one half of the youngest centre-back pairing within the division alongside Illia Zabarnyi, is easy-going however relishes massive video games as a result of he “loves having a problem”. Saturday’s go to of Nottingham Forest falls into that bracket, a gathering between seventh and third, unlikely Champions League contenders each promoted solely three seasons in the past.

It’s arguably the sport of the weekend and one between two of probably the most in-form groups within the division; solely Forest (25) have gained extra factors throughout the previous 10 matches than Bournemouth (22). “I feel will probably be an ideal recreation and hopefully we will end as excessive up the desk as potential,” Huijsen says. “We’re doing effectively and I feel we will qualify for Europe. Now we have the standard and the potential.

“Who wouldn’t need to play in Europe? I feel everybody would love that. It might go down within the historical past of the membership. It might be nice for all the gamers, followers and everybody concerned. I feel it’s reasonable with how we’re enjoying. We’re 10 video games unbeaten – hopefully 11 on Saturday – and we’re doing effectively and all the stats present that it’s not simply luck and we should be right here. We simply have to carry on working laborious, keep humble and proceed proving ourselves.”

One of many extra rewarding checks for Huijsen as a boy was taking up his two brothers at soccer tennis at dwelling in Andalucía. “Through the summer time my brothers would work in the course of the day, at an inflatable water park, and after they bought dwelling within the night we might all the time play from like 8pm till 11pm,” he remembers. “Myself and my dad would all the time play towards my brothers, who’re each six years older than me. They’d guess the cash they made that day and I used to be like 10 years previous, so I didn’t have something [to stake]. However we had been all the time successful the video games, so myself and my dad had been all the time successful the cash day by day. I don’t suppose it was a lot enjoyable for my brothers in the long run.”

Huijsen’s father, a former ahead, performed for Ajax alongside Patrick Kluivert, whose son Justin grew to become a teammate when Huijsen signed from Juventus in a £12.9m deal final summer time. The pair have talked over lunch about each representing Roma, although they didn’t overlap there, in addition to their fathers. “They performed collectively however I feel Justin’s dad was higher than my dad,” Huijsen says with a smile. “Our dads know one another but additionally our mums know one another from again within the day, from seeing one another round Amsterdam. Justin is a superb man and an ideal participant.”

Mourinho labored solely briefly with Huijsen however the teenager made an enormous impression. “José was nice despite the fact that I wasn’t with him for too lengthy. He was actually good to me and he gave me a chance and I’ll all the time be thankful for that. He believed in me and I feel somebody that massive believing in you may be very particular, particularly for a younger man coming by way of. For somebody that massive to say what he mentioned is actually particular and it solely offers you confidence as a participant.”

It was at Roma final 12 months the place Huijsen loved his first sustained run of senior minutes – he scored towards Frosinone after waltzing ahead from midway – after a sole senior look for Juve, at Milan. Twelve months earlier Huijsen had been within the stands when Milan defeated Juve. “I used to be dwelling in Turin on the time and it was like an hour-and-a-half drive. Myself and my dad and mom went to look at as a result of we needed to see the San Siro, and it was clearly an ideal environment and an enormous recreation,” he says. “ My dad and mom had been there once more after I performed and I feel I made them proud. Despite the fact that I’m 19 I really feel like I’ve skilled rather a lot and that helps my recreation. I don’t actually really feel like a ‘younger’ participant.”

The go to of Forest may even present Huijsen with a helpful private barometer. It was at Forest in August the place he impressed on his Bournemouth debut, his block to stop Morgan Gibbs-White doubtlessly scoring a late winner an indication of issues to return.

“I used to be saying to my dad that I’m actually wanting ahead to it to see how I’ve progressed,” Huijsen says. “I do not forget that day, I used to be actually up for it. However I feel I’ve improved and hopefully will probably be an ideal recreation.”