Amidst strong interest from Liverpool, Dutch youngster Kees Smit wants Real Madrid to come and get him, a new report has said.
Former Dutch U-19 captain Smit is said to be an elite talent capable of dominating Europe in the years to come. He is often referred to as the "next Bruno Fernandes" or "James Maddison" by the media in his home country.
Ronald Koeman, the current manager of the Netherlands national team, even went to the extent of comparing him to the Spaniard Pedri. “I have to be careful with what I say, but I coached Pedri at Barcelona and I see things of him in Kees Smit. The turns, the use of both feet, the vision... it’s what I saw in Pedri back then. What he’s showing at such a young age is impressive. If he achieves half of what Pedri has achieved in his career, everyone in the Netherlands will be happy,” Defensa Central quoted him as saying.
The AZ Alkmaar star has been tracked by Real Madrid for some time now, but Liverpool suddenly emerged on the scene with strong interest. However, Smit has said that although he was once open to exploring Dutch football with another club, it now seems highly unlikely. Having joined the club's academy at the age of nine, the youngster has reportedly grown tired of playing elite football under extreme weather conditions in the Netherlands and finds Spain an ideal destination. The media sees this as a clear signal to Real Madrid.
“[I’d like to play in] La Liga. Playing there would be great. I love the sun; I’m tired of playing in so much cold and rain, so I’d love to go and play in Spain,” Smit told Supergaande, as cited by AS.
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“Ideally, I’d like to take the next step at another team in the Netherlands, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I never considered leaving AZ. My dream was to play here for the rest of my life,” Smit reportedly added.
As per a TEAMtalk report, AZ Alkmaar could ask for around €75 million (£65.3 million) for their prized midfielder. Real Madrid are reportedly set to sell as many as six stars, including Eduardo Camavinga, and the sum raised should be enough to secure Smit alongside other targets. Needless to say, the Under-19 European champion's decision to ditch England for Spain is a significant blow for Liverpool.