In the summer of 2024, PSG was on the hunt for a central defender to support Marquinhos. Luis Campos explored several options, ultimately investing €45 million in Willian Pacho, which proved to be a smart choice.
PSG loves Pacho. However, another strong candidate emerged before : Dean Huijsen, then at Juventus.
At one point, a Dean Huijsen/Illia Zabarnyi partnership for PSG seemed likely. The young Dutchman initially appeared headed for Paris but opted for Bournemouth to secure more playing time, forming a duo with the Ukrainian player who was acquired by PSG this summer.
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PSG didn’t give up on Huijsen and fought hard last spring to secure his signature. In the end, it was Real Madrid that clinched the deal for €58 million.
“PSG was a real option”
In an interview with Foot Mercato, his agent Ali Barat confirmed, “PSG was a real option. Luis Campos was among the first to recognize his potential. But Dean wanted more regular playing opportunities, which seemed complicated in Paris.”
Today, Huijsen is shining at Real Madrid, while Willian Pacho has established himself at PSG. Two paths that could have crossed under the red and blue jersey.
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