More than Vinicius and Bellingham, Arbeloa is worried about him: "He doesn't look like the man who arrived."

The new coach is sounding the alarm on Huijsen's form, as persistent muscle issues and a crisis of confidence take their toll.

The Bernabéu Doesn't Forgive: €60M Under the Microscope

Real Madrid ground out a mandatory 2-0 win against Levante this Saturday, but the atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu was anything but celebratory. In the wake of Xabi Alonso's firing, the crowd vented its spleen at stars like Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. Yet, the most worrying murmurs were directed at Dean Huijsen, the 20-year-old defender whose rapid decline is becoming a major headache.

Hooked in the 61st minute for Dani Ceballos, Huijsen looked heavy-legged and stripped of the swagger he arrived with. The Spanish-Dutch center-back, a €60 million investment in the summer of 2025, was supposed to be the ball-playing future of the defense. Instead, nagging injuries since November have robbed him of his sharpness.

Arbeloa's Verdict: Protection with a Caveat

New boss Álvaro Arbeloa didn't dodge the topic in the post-match presser. He tried to shield the youngster, but his words betrayed a genuine concern for the player's current state.

"Dean has been out of action for a long time... It's impossible to perform at Real Madrid standards without match rhythm. We forget how young these lads are. But I'm going to wait for him—I know the quality he has." — Álvaro Arbeloa

The Weight of the Price Tag

Huijsen was a specific request from Xabi Alonso, targeted for his unique profile: towering height (1.97m) mixed with silky distribution. His final season at Bournemouth (2024/25) saw him hit the 92nd percentile for progressive carries, a stat that sold Madrid on his potential. But without Alonso's system to insulate him, Huijsen looks exposed.

Club sources suggest the board isn't panicking yet, but they are worried about his "fragility." With Antonio Rüdiger in his twilight years and David Alaba's minutes strictly rationed, Madrid needs Huijsen to be a pillar, not a project. His agent, Marc Kosicke, is reportedly fielding calls regarding other clients, but for Huijsen, the only call that matters now is the one from the physio room. He needs to get fit, fast.