Real Madrid begins the healing process after their elimination in the Champions League, but the transfer market never stops
Behind the scenes at the Casa Blanca, a name has been circulating with increasing frequency in the Spanish and international press for several weeks: that of Kees Smit, a 20-year-old Dutch midfielder playing for AZ Alkmaar. Not a done deal yet – far from it – but a serious, methodical pursuit that speaks volumes about the reconstruction strategy envisioned by Florentino Perez.
A profile tailored for the future of Madrid
What attracts Real Madrid to Smit’s profile is primarily his versatility. Capable of playing both as a box-to-box midfielder and as a defensive midfielder, the young Dutchman ticks several boxes in the Merengues’ recruitment logic: technically proficient, intelligent in the game, comfortable in transition, and with a significant room for growth as judged by Madrid’s scouts.
At 20 years old, he has already shown remarkable consistency in the colors of AZ Alkmaar, a club known for producing talents capable of making a leap to a top European team. Real Madrid knows better than anyone: the Dutch Eredivisie remains one of the most reliable sources for identifying young profiles with great potential before they fully explode onto the big stage.
Why now?
The timing makes sense. With the issues within the Madrid dressing room – the internal tensions widely documented in recent days, and the need to rethink the squad’s construction – Real Madrid is looking to anticipate the midfield transition. The current key players are not eternal, and Madrid wants to avoid being forced to make emergency purchases at prohibitive prices.
Kees Smit fits into this long-term vision. According to several international sources, the Spanish club intends to monitor him for a few more months before making a final decision – notably until the 2026 World Cup, which will be a real test to evaluate his ability to perform under maximum pressure on the international stage. A tournament that could also significantly increase his market value.
Numbers: between estimates and rumors
On the financial side, the amounts being mentioned vary significantly depending on the sources. The most frequently reported range in the European press hovers around 30 to 35 million euros, with some estimates going up to 40 million in other publications. A Spanish source even mentions a base of 30 million already “active” between the parties – but this information should be taken with caution, as it leans more towards journalistic anticipation rather than official confirmation.
Because this is the crucial point: at this stage, no agreement has been reached between Real Madrid and AZ Alkmaar. No public announcement has been made by the player or his entourage. We are still in the observation and positioning phase – where a club stakes its claim on a deal without closing off other options.
A Madrid transfer window under high tension
In this context of post-disappointing season reconstruction, the Smit case illustrates Real Madrid’s 2026 transfer market philosophy: smart rejuvenation, betting on technically skilled players at reasonable prices rather than unaffordable stars, and building a squad capable of dominating Europe in the long run rather than relying on a single magical season.
Kees Smit is not a Real Madrid player yet. But if the coming months confirm what Madrid scouts have observed since autumn, the question will no longer be if the transfer will happen – but at what price.
