Why Europe’s Elite Clubs Are Eager to Snap Up AZ’s Midfield Sensation Kees Smit

It’s a challenging task for the Dutch outfit, yet they have remained unbeaten at home since the end of January, winning their last three fixtures at AFAS Stadion without allowing a single goal.

Smit is the talk of Europe

For AZ to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals, every player must deliver their best performance, and they will need a favour from the Ukrainian side to have an off day. Manager Leeroy Echteld may well place his hopes on one player in particular to keep the club’s European ambitions alive.

At only 20 years old, Kees Smit has caught the attention of Europe’s top clubs, and it’s not difficult to see why.

Dutch head coach Ronald Koeman has even likened him to Barcelona’s standout, Pedri, stating: “His ability to evade opponents, his awareness of space, and his proficiency with both feet remind me of Pedri.

“If he achieves even half of what Pedri has, we’ll be celebrating in the Netherlands.”

Endorsements from Rio Ferdinand

Former England centre-back, Rio Ferdinand, is equally convinced of the teenager’s exceptional abilities.

“Kees Smit is the real deal, I assure you,” he remarked.

“I hope he bursts onto the scene and wows the world. And if it takes six months or a year for us (Manchester United) to bring him in, that’s fine by me, because we absolutely cannot allow him to slip through our fingers.”

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid are among a host of clubs reportedly keen to know where Smit might land next, and that could happen sooner rather than later.

Room for a significant transfer

“Basically, I want to play a lot; that matters to me,” Smit expressed following AZ’s Conference League victory over Sparta Prague.

“I could remain at AZ, but I don’t foresee that happening.”

This statement is as close to a ‘come and get me’ plea as clubs might hear, and despite his contract running until the summer of 2028, a tempting offer could easily persuade AZ to part with their prized asset.

Smit first made headlines when he played a vital role in the Netherlands U19 squad’s 2025 European Championship triumph, earning the Player of the Tournament distinction in the process.

Having appeared 30 times across all competitions for AZ last season, he has already surpassed that with 43 appearances in the 2025/26 season, boasting a remarkable tally of four goals and eight assists, exceeding his previous best.

Exceptional all-round capabilities

To sum up, whether playing as a No. 10 or a deeper playmaker, he has become crucial for the team, consistently dictating the flow and rhythm of AZ’s matches.

Only Sven Mijnans has created more chances than Smit’s impressive tally of 61 this season, while his 87.8% pass completion rate is only surpassed by AZ teammates Wouter Goes and Alexandre Penetra among players who have made at least 1,500 passes this campaign.

Out of Smit’s total of 2,010 passes, 1,295 have been completed in the opponent’s half, with 1,126 of those being successful. Although his pass accuracy drops slightly to 87% in the opponent’s half, this is still the highest success rate in the squad, apart from Jordy Clasie, who has completed notably fewer passes (344) in that area.

In addition to his notable attacking talents, the midfielder is also willing to engage physically when the situation demands it.

While this aspect of his game may go unnoticed, Smit has been involved in the second-highest number of one-on-one duels in the team (390), and his 207 ball recoveries in the ongoing season are the highest among AZ’s outfield players.

His 74 attempted tackles rank just behind Mateo Chavez (82), Mees De Wit (100), and Peer Koopmeiners (124), yet Smit’s success rate of 70.3% is better than all of them.

As a versatile player, it’s hard to identify any real flaws in Smit’s skill set, and should he move on in the summer, AZ will undoubtedly feel his departure in the 2026/27 season.

Considering the desires of the player, the club that secures his signature could find themselves with an exceptional deal, as no team wants to keep a player who could cause disharmony in the dressing room, and AZ lacks the leverage to hold potential buyers to ransom.

Keep an eye on this young star…