Hansi Flick can stun Real Madrid as superb midfield target names Barcelona his ‘favourite’ club | OneFootball

Dutch gem Kees Smit has given Barcelona encouragement to beat Real Madrid in the chase for his signature.

Smit’s stunning rise at Eredivisie club AZ has seen both Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman and Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong compare him to Pedri. When asked about Koeman’s comments in particular, Smit said: “If he thinks so… I wasn’t expecting it, but I think it’s a good comparison.

“I understand that people found it a rather strange comparison. Before I was [Kevin] De Bruyne and now I’m Pedri (laughs) or Frenkie de Jong.”

Dutch football’s next big thing: Who is Kees Smit?

Smit’s next comment was the most telling, as he said: “I watch almost every Barcelona match. It’s simply my favourite club.”

The fact the midfielder wants to join Barca represents a major blow for Real Madrid. It emerged in July that Madrid are hoping to beat Premier League clubs to Smit’s services.

Manchester United and Liverpool have also been linked with the supremely talented teenager, while we revealed Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in him last month.

All of Europe’s elite chasing wonderkid

Over the summer, Smit confirmed that both Barca and Madrid have expressed interest in signing him from AZ.

However, the youngster is grounded, and responded by saying he wants to show his talent at AZ before securing a big-money move.

Both Barca and Madrid have been monitoring Smit’s development since early 2023, when he helped AZ U19s beat sides from both Spanish giants to reach the UEFA Youth League semi-finals.

Smit is seen as a player with elite potential. He can glide past opposition players, excels at forward passes and also has a great engine.

The fact Smit clearly dreams of playing for Barca gives Hansi Flick’s side a huge advantage over arch rivals Madrid.

Smit’s exact price tag has yet to emerge, though previous reports have suggested it would take a bid worth at least €25-35m (up to £31m / $40.5m) to convince AZ to sell.

There is a strong connection between Dutch football and Barca, owing to the legendary Johan Cruyff, and Smit could be the next player to take that step.

Where would he fit in at Barca?

Barca already have plenty of midfielders in their squad, though there could be room for Smit to join.

The Blaugrana have been tipped to sell Marc Casado and one of Fermin Lopez or Dani Olmo to raise transfer funds.

Plus, there are concerns over the long-term fitness of Pedri and Gavi. The pair often pick up injuries, which could be down to them being overplayed in recent years.

Smit is versatile and can play in defensive midfield all the way up to the No 10 role, which could make him a fantastic option for Flick.

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