"He’s strong in the air, he’s quick" - Toni Kroos claims Real Madrid have signed a 'very complete' player this summer

Former midfielder Toni Kroos believes Real Madrid have landed a gem in summer signing Dean Huijsen. He described the young centre-back as a complete player with the attributes to thrive at Santiago Bernabeu.

Huijsen joined Los Blancos from Premier League club Bournemouth for a reported fee of €62.5 million ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup. He made his debut for Madrid against Al-Hilal in the group stage of the tournament and has impressed in all his appearances so far for the Whites.

To highlight his impact, Real Madrid are yet to lose a match with him on the pitch, with their only loss coming against Paris Saint-Germain (4-0) in the semifinal of the Club World Cup. Huijsen sat out the match due to a red card suspension.

Kroos, who retired from professional football in the summer of 2024, asserted that his former club made the right call by signing Huijsen. The former midfielder said on his podcast Einfach mal Luppen (via Madrid Xtra):

“Real Madrid signed a very complete CB in Dean Huijsen. He’s strong in the air, he’s quick, and he’s good in building from the back.”

Interestingly, some fans compared Dean Huijsen to Toni Kroos after his first few appearances in a Los Blancos shirt. Teammate Federico Valverde even claimed that the Spaniard’s "passes were similar" to Kroos as per Defensa Central.

Real Madrid dealt with multiple injury problems last season, particularly in their defensive department. With the arrivals of Huijsen and England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, they will hope to avoid such setbacks this term.

Toni Kroos expects Real Madrid to perform better than last season in Xabi Alonso’s first season in charge

In the same episode, Kroos predicted that Real Madrid would perform better than they did last season after reinforcing their squad. Los Blancos ended the 2024-25 season trophyless, which concluded with former manager Carlo Ancelotti stepping down.

Kroos continued:

“[They have] reinforced well. I expect a better season than the previous one. There is room for improvement.”

When asked to what extent President Florentino Perez would be patient with Xabi Alonso if things do not go to plan, Kroos said (via AS):

“I think Xabi comes with another status other than Lopetegui. His history as a player helps, but it does not protect him if he does not win titles three years in a row.”

He added:

“Trust in the coach matters. It's not always the result, because trust allows you to overcome temporary bad results . Sometimes coaches are fired after four games. But belief in their ability can give them leeway. The perception of the players and team leaders also matters. You often hear what the squad thinks about the coach . The way in which a game is lost also has an impact. It's not just the result, but how. This influences the coach's tenure.”

Real Madrid currently sit third on the LaLiga table, having won both their first two league games. They face Mallorca next on Saturday, August 30.