Dean Huijsen: The Juventus teenager who could be the next De Ligt

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On Wednesday, the Netherlands will look to become the first country in history to win three successive Under-17 European Championships.

The Oranje are facing off against France in Netanya, Israel, with a host of top talents having shone throughout the last fortnight in their run to the final.

Perhaps the standout performer, though, has been centre-back Dean Huijsen, a player with a unique skillset who has already begun progressing towards the first team at one of Europe's biggest clubs.

Just before his 17th birthday in early April, Huijsen was called-up by Massimiliano Allegri to train with the senior Juventus squad.

An impressive performer for the club's U17s during his first season in Turin, the defender was given his first taste of the first-team environment at the Bianconeri, as well as getting the chance to learn from a player whom he idolises and is sometimes compared to: Matthijs de Ligt.

Both tall, fair-haired Dutch centre-backs who match superb defensive instincts with a serenity when in possession, those comparisons are easy to make, though Juve are naturally keen to temper expectations at this early stage.

Huijsen is naturally right-footed, but rarely looks concerned when forced to use his weaker left, and standing at 6'4 (195cm), he possesses the physical attributes to dominate games among his peers.

“Dean is a very versatile player," the coach of the Netherlands U17s, Mischa Visser, told TuttoJuve, "and despite being a centre-back, he is very effective in the attacking phase.

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"In defence, he is able to take up the right position with the right timing, and thanks to his physical size is good at winning duels.

"His calmness impresses me, he doesn't seem to be stressed at all. He is good at concentrating on what he has to do on the pitch, he is not affected by the pace of the game or by the pressure in the stands."

As hinted at by Visser, perhaps what makes Huijsen stand out from other top defenders is his ability in attacking areas, whether that is carrying the ball into the final third himself or when faced with an opportunity to shoot.

He scored seven goals in 19 games in his first season at Juve, and has backed that up with two more over the course of the U17 Euros.

A penalty-kick specialist, his ability from 12 yards does bulk up those numbers somewhat, but he has shown himself to be dangerous in open play too.

Huijsen's goalscoring is not something that is new to his game either, having joined Juve after finishing the 2020-21 season as the top scorer for Malaga's U17s.

In fact, you could say that it is in his blood, given his father, Donny, enjoyed a short professional career after coming through the Ajax academy as Patrick Kluivert's strike partner.

The Huijsen family moved to Marbella when Dean was five, and he soon joined local club Costa Unida CF, before being scouted and signed by Malaga five years later.

Regularly playing above his own age-group, Huijsen was soon regarded as the jewel of the Spanish side's academy, and trained with the first team when he was just 15.

As the summer of 2021 approached, so too did some of Europe's most prominent clubs, including Real Madrid, Sevilla and at least one top Premier League side.

Juve, led by their head of scouting Matteo Tognozzi, were able to convince the teenager to make the switch to Italy by laying out a pathway to the professional game that would neither put undue pressure on Huijsen, nor keep him waiting longer than was needed.

Certainly the early signs are good, with Allegri said to have been impressed by what he saw from Huijsen during his days training alongside the likes of Leonardo Bonucci and De Ligt, and it is expected that he will be offered similar opportunities on a more frequent basis next season.

First, though, he has an international trophy to win on Wednesday. While De Ligt and Virgil van Dijk are holding down the Netherlands' backline for now, the next generation is looking just as strong.