Price Set for Real Madrid Target Kees Smit

AZ Alkmaar are prepared to sell 19-year-old midfielder Kees Smit, but only if their valuation — believed to exceed £22 million — is met, according to Sky Sports News. The Eredivisie club will not block a move for the player but want to surpass their current record transfer fee of £21.8 million, received from AC Milan for Tijjani Reijnders.

Smit has drawn interest from several major European clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Newcastle United. Reports indicate that the player himself is eager to test his ability “at the highest level as soon as possible,” and AZ are open to negotiations if their financial conditions are satisfied.

Smit, a left-footed central midfielder, has been compared in style to Pedri, combining positional intelligence with technical precision in tight spaces. Dutch and Spanish outlets, including AS, have quoted Ronald Koeman, who has spoken of the similarities between Smit and Pedri, describing him as “a player who thinks quickly and sees the pass before others.”

For Real Madrid, the teenager represents another potential long-term midfield investment — part of the club’s broader strategy of targeting under-23 European talents with high resale and developmental upside.