Man Utd, Liverpool target Dean Huijsen has been forced to deny he smokes weed in a bizarre interview with the Bournemouth defender insisting he just has “sleepy eyes”.
The 19-year-old has been in amazing form during his first season in the Premier League with Bournemouth currently 10th in the table but only four points off fifth-placed Man City.
Huijsen made his senior debut for Spain over this international break and earned rave reviews from manager Luis de la Fuente.
His performances this season and subsequent call up for the national team means a bigger profile and more interviews.
But the Bournemouth defender, who has been heavily linked with Liverpool and Man Utd among other clubs, got more than he bargained for on a podcast with football influencer Papa Pincus.
The Bournemouth defender was forced to deny that he smokes cannabis after the influencer made claims about his appearance in the interview.
Podcast host Pincus said: “It really seems to me like you are pretty medicated on weed. Do you smoke weed?”
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Following an awkward laugh, Huijsen reveals that he suffers from “sleepy eyes”.
The Spain international added: “Basically, for everyone watching, I have sleepy eyes. I have it from my mum because my mum has sleepy eyes.
“I’m not high. I’m sorry, I’m not high. We’re not allowed to take weed, it’s doping control. I’m not high. It’s how I was born. I can’t do anything about it.”
A symptom of smoking marijuana can be red, bloodshot eyes and the host referenced a photograph of him holding up a Player of the Match award after Bournemouth beat Man Utd 3-0 in December.
In that image, Huijsen has a red, bloodshot eye, and the Bournemouth star had to once again clear that up, he continued: “I got a ball in my eye. Someone shot and it went right in my eye. So I was even worse.”
Former Cherries defender Joe Partington hopes Huijsen could stay for another season at Bournemouth if they can qualify for Europe this season under Andoni Iraola.
Partington told BBC Radio Solent’s Cherries: Unpicked podcast: “That’s a huge compliment and huge confirmation that Bournemouth’s recruitment team are doing an amazing job.
“If his release clause doesn’t come into play until the summer at least you know you’ve got four, five months left of him. If Bournemouth are in a position at the end of the season where they will play in Europe next year, then you would like to think he would want to stay unless a team came in and offered him a deal too good to turn down.
“He made the decision to come to Bournemouth as a 19-year-old and not wait for a bigger club even though people were saying very nice things about him so he wants to play. He’s doing a very good job of it.
“I’d like to think the club can keep him but with some of the very best young players in the world it’s very difficult to tell what will happen.”
