The Spanish newspaper AS reports that Real Madrid and Barcelona are locked in a fierce battle to sign one of the world’s most promising young players, Kees Smit, the AZ Alkmaar star, during the upcoming summer transfer window.
The 19-year-old is enjoying the peak of his career. He made his debut for AZ at the age of 18 and then won the European Under-19 Championship with the Netherlands as a key player, putting him on the radar of all of Europe’s top clubs.
AZ Alkmaar has initially set a price of €60 million for Smit, who has sparked debate about his preferred club between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
In a previous interview, Smit stated that Barcelona was his preferred club, but just days later he was seen wearing a Real Madrid jersey in the Netherlands. This leaves the chances of both clubs signing him equal, and ultimately depends on the sporting project and the financial offer.
Real Madrid have made signing a new midfielder their absolute priority this summer, unlike Barcelona, who might prefer to invest a hefty sum like €60 million in a striker, center-back, or even a right-back.
It’s worth noting that Smit, who scored four goals in five matches at the Under-19 European Championship, is attracting interest from German giants Bayern Munich, who have strong ties to Dutch football, as well as Premier League sides Newcastle and Chelsea.
