Real Madrid signed four players this transfer window and all of them are already making a strong impact.
They are delivering exactly where the team lacked momentum last season, which has been refreshing to see.
Dean Huijsen, in particular, has blended seamlessly with both the squad and the manager’s ideas, drawing praise from every direction. He's already broken a mammoth seven year old record once held by a Real Madrid veteran and legend.
He is passing with the composure of Toni Kroos, defending like a top centre-back, and doing everything with assurance.
It does not feel like he just arrived. He looks as if he has been part of Real Madrid for years.
A new update about the transfer that secured his arrival reveals that Huijsen always had Los Blancos on his mind and even turned down a highly lucrative offer from Chelsea to make it happen.
Real Madrid beat Chelsea to land key summer signing
According to Defensa Central, Chelsea were heavily involved in pursuing the Spanish defender before Real Madrid entered the picture.
They were considered the biggest threat in Madrid’s pursuit, but Huijsen himself ensured the contest never became an obstacle.
Chelsea were so determined to sign him that they made three separate attempts, even going as far as paying his release clause in full and offering him a salary €2 million higher than what he currently earns in Madrid.
But none of that mattered. From the moment Madrid called, Huijsen was set on moving to Spain. Nothing could convince him otherwise.
And what an addition he has proven to be. Real Madrid struggled with defensive depth last season, at times relying on Raul Asencio from Castilla and even pushing Aurelien Tchouameni into centre-back for long stretches.
That experiment was far from ideal and made a signing like Huijsen an absolute necessity.