Andoni Iraola has backed departing Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen to shine at Real Madrid after his £50million move was confirmed last week. 

Huijsen arrived at Bournemouth from Juventus in 2024 and has played a crucial role in their bid for European football, which ended with defeat to Manchester City in midweek.

He was also nominated for the Premier League's Young Player of the Season award, having made 31 league appearances for the Cherries this campaign.

Huijsen, who made his senior Spain debut in March, was reportedly attracting interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea, but Madrid acted quickly to secure his services. 

He has averaged 4.1 progressive passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League this term, the third-most among all centre-backs to play at least 1,500 minutes in the competition.

"I have no doubt that he's ready for this jump," Iraola said. "Real Madrid is probably the biggest club in the world, or one of the biggest, but I think he has the level.

"Not only on the football side, also the maturity, the confidence in himself to go there and perform.

"He'll have a lot of competition to play, but I trust him a lot, and I think he's going to be very good for Real Madrid."

Huijsen will play his final game for Bournemouth in front of the Vitality Stadium faithful against already-relegated Leicester City on Sunday. 

The Foxes signed off their home campaign in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town, where Jamie Vardy netted his 200th goal for the club in his 500th outing. 

Leicester are unbeaten in their last three league games, and will want to end an otherwise underwhelming season on a high against the Cherries. 

And Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose future at the club remains uncertain, believes that the club's latest run of form can only be a positive as they prepare for life in the second tier. 

"There were some good spells in the game. I think, overall, we gave away quite a few opportunities and chances back to Ipswich," Van Nistelrooy said.

"We could have done better in a couple of moments there, where we didn't defend or press the ball as we should.

"We gave them a little bit too much, but we were capable to block the shots or they missed the opportunities so we were a bit lucky not to concede.

"But we're changing the narrative and the focus on next season, giving young players a chance and an opportunity. They are doing really well and helping the team."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bournemouth – Evanilson

Evanilson has enjoyed a solid debut campaign for the Cherries, netting 10 league goals for the club this season, and he will want to add to that tally on Sunday.

The Brazilian, however, has failed to score at home since a win over Ipswich Town at the start of April, with only three of his league goals coming at the Vitality Stadium.

Some incredible stats away from home this season pic.twitter.com/aVcFsgXwCu

— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) May 22, 2025

Leicester – Kasey McAteer

With Vardy playing his final game for Leicester in last week's 2-0 win over Ipswich, McAteer will be key for Van Nistelrooy's team at the top end of the pitch.

He netted his first Premier League goal last time out, while also ending with a team-high total for shots on target (two) at the King Power Stadium against the Tractor Boys.

MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN

Bournemouth are unbeaten in all six of their Premier League home games against Leicester (W4 D2), winning the last three by an aggregate score of 10-4.

But the Cherries have struggled of late. They have lost five of their last seven league home games (W1 D1). Indeed, since the start of February only Ipswich (six) have lost more at home than Bournemouth (five).

Iraola's team have also lost their last two Premier League games, last losing three in a row last May, which were also their final three games of the 2023-24 campaign.

Leicester, meanwhile, will be looking for a league double over Bournemouth for the first time since 2013-14, having done so in the Championship that year. Their first win of the season also came against the Cherries.

But the Foxes have lost their final league game in four of the last seven seasons (W2 D1), though they have won their last two as a Premier League side (vs Southampton in 2021-22 and West Ham United in 2022-23).

Leicester have won two of their last three top-flight games (D1), as many as they had in their previous 26 (W2 D3 L21). They've also scored six goals across their last three league games, as many as in their previous 19.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Bournemouth – 66.9%

Draw – 18%

Leicester – 15.1%