Real Madrid face Chelsea, Tottenham competition for 19-year-old midfield talent | OneFootball

Real Madrid remain on the lookout for a new midfielder this summer, given that Luka Modric is set to depart and Dani Ceballos is also staring at an uncertain future.

A big-money move for established stars such as Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez, linked previously, appears to be off the cards though, with more cost-effective solutions being considered.

As such, AZ Alkmaar youngster Kees Smit has emerged as a target, following his impressive performances at the U-19 European Championships for the Netherlands.

More competition for Kees Smit

However, according to reports relayed by Voetbal Primeur, Real Madrid will face stiff competition in the race to sign Smit, particularly from the Premier League where Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are interested.

Beyond that, clubs like Bayern Munich, Ajax, RB Leipzig, and Olympique Marseille have all shown an interest in the 19-year-old midfield prospect.

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Smit is contracted with AZ until 2028 with reports suggesting that a fee of €25 million could be needed to lure him away from the Dutch outfit.

That fee is unlikely to be an issue for Real Madrid, but the emergence of clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham could complicate matters.

Meanwhile, AZ coach Maarten Martens told Voetbal Primeur that he hopes to keep Smit, saying:

“It would be very good for him, he is also one of the players we want to keep and who will only get better.”

It will be interesting to see if Real Madrid do go after Smit with intent. For now, the team’s full focus is on the FIFA Club World Cup.