The new Dean Huijsen? Spain look to beat Netherlands and Belgium to rising Club Brugge defender with his international future undecided

Spain are attempting to lure Club Brugge prospect Samuel Gomez van Hoogen into pledging his international future to La Roja, despite competition from Belgium and Netherlands. The 19-year-old centre-back, who holds three passports, has yet to make a senior debut in official competition and could follow the same path as Dean Huijsen.

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  Spain eye triple-national starlet

  Luis de la Fuente and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have identified Brugge defender Gomez as a potential addition to their national team pool. The 19-year-old, who is eligible to play for the Spanish, Dutch and Belgian national teams, has represented the latter at youth level but remains eligible for a senior switch. His situation mirrors that of Dean Huijsen, who opted for La Roja despite being born in Netherlands.

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  The stakes in another Huijsen case

  The RFEF scouting department have tracked Gomez for over a year and are now intensifying contact with the player’s camp. If the youngster commits to Spain and plays in an official fixture, he would no longer be able to switch under FIFA rules. Belgium and the Netherlands are also circling, with young centre-back yet to take a definitive decision on his international career.

• Gomez’s Club Brugge journey so far

  The teenager signed for Brugge from PSV and is under contract until June 2028. He has mainly featured in the club’s youth and reserve sides but did appear in two senior friendlies last July, against Rangers and Rakow. For now, his route to Brugge’s first team looks limited, but his international profile continues to rise thanks to RFEF’s interest.

• Huijsen as the blueprint

  Spain’s approach is heavily influenced by the success of Huijsen’s decision to commit to La Roja instead of Netherlands. The Real Madrid centre-back has become a fixture under De la Fuente, forming a reliable partnership with Robin Le Normand. Gomez, at 19, now faces a similarly pivotal choice that could shape the rest of his career.