In Alkmaar, where AZ have long treated the academy as both a footballing home and a point of civic pride, Kees Smit’s next step is increasingly likely to be another chapter in red and white rather than an immediate move south across Europe. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked for months with Real Madrid and Barcelona, yet the club’s plan appears to be keeping its most coveted young player in the Netherlands.
Smit remains under contract until 30 June 2028, but AZ and the player are close to extending that agreement through the middle of 2030. Discussions have been under way for some time, with the club believed to have made convincing progress in its attempt to secure the future of a footballer regarded internally as their clearest academy prospect for many years.
The recent transfer window had looked like a possible moment for an exit. Interest from major European names had placed Smit among the Dutch talents most closely watched beyond the Eredivisie, but no deal emerged. In mid-August, AZ’s leadership informed him that a sale did not form part of the club’s immediate planning.
A Barcelona connection, but no rush to leave
Barcelona has held a particular place in Smit’s imagination since childhood. He has repeatedly identified the Catalan club as his footballing reference point, saying he grew up watching Barça and still follows them now. During AZ’s celebratory visit to Barcelona in April, after winning the Dutch Cup, he joked that he would be ready to talk if the club invited him into negotiations: “Of course I would be open to that; I have plenty of time.”
For all that affection, Smit has not presented a departure as urgent. He has said that, when the time comes to leave Dutch football, La Liga would be his preferred destination ahead of other domestic competitions, including the Premier League.
His attachment to AZ runs deep. Smit joined the club’s youth set-up at the age of nine and has since developed into a Netherlands international, having been called up by former Oranje coach Ronald Koeman. Koeman drew a comparison between the midfielder and Barcelona’s Pedri González, an indication of the technical promise seen in Smit’s game.
For now, the road from Alkmaar may be lengthening rather than ending. A new deal until 2030 would give AZ further control over a player admired in Spain and beyond, while allowing Smit to continue his development in the environment that spotted him first.
