€80m midfielder will ‘definitely end up at Real Madrid’ as Florentino Perez decides on first TWO signings | OneFootball

Rafael van der Vaart has backed Kees Smit to join Real Madrid, who have reportedly decided on Nico Paz and Víctor Munoz as their first two signings of the 2026 summer transfer window.

Real Madrid are enduring a bitterly disappointing season, with Alvaro Arbeloa’s side out of the Champions League and unlikely to win LaLiga.

Madrid are planning a major rebuild of their squad in the summer of 2026, with Los Blancos president Florentino Perez aiming to reinforce the team’s defence and midfield.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, has reported that Real Madrid have taken a shine to AZ midfielder Kees Smit.

Smit has emerged as one of the best young players in Europe and has already earned a cap for the Netherlands national football team.

Sources have told us that Madrid have monitored the 20-year-old closely for a while now and view the youngster ‘as a strong candidate to generate football in midfield for the 2026/27 season’.

We understand that AZ are willing to sell Smit for €60-80million (up to £69.6m, $94.1m) in the summer transfer window.

Kees Smit backed to join Real Madrid

Former Madrid and Netherlands international midfielder Rafael van der Vaart believes that Smit will eventually end up at Estadio Bernabeu if he continues to progress and develop.

Voetbal Zone quotes Van de Vaart as saying about Smit: “He is simply an incredibly good player.

“We are often too quick to call someone good, but in this case: what else can you say? He is really good.

“If he continues to develop like this, he will definitely end up at Real Madrid.

“Or at the biggest clubs in the world, which Real Madrid is in my eyes.”

“What is the right path? He needs to be able to handle that a bit.

“But he strikes me as someone who remains down-to-earth.

“He doesn’t suffer from pressure, at least I don’t see that in him. Nice interviews too, he comes across well.”

Nico Paz and Vitor Munoz will return to Real Madrid

According to El Debate, Madrid have already identified the first two signings that they will make in the summer of 2026.

The Spanish publication has reported that Los Blancos will bring back Nico Paz and Victor Munoz from Como and Osasuna, respectively.

Argentina international attacking midfielder Paz, 21, joined Como from Madrid in the summer of 2024.

Spain international winger Munoz, 22, has been on the books of Osasuna since the summer of 2025 when he switched from Madrid.

Madrid have buy-back options for both Paz and Munoz, which the Spanish and European giants reportedly plan to exercise them bring the two young attacking players back to Estadio Bernabeu.

Michael Olise unlikely to join Real Madrid

Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise has been mentioned with a possible move to Madrid in the summer of 2026, but Los Blancos legend Luis Figo does not see a transfer happening.

Figo said: “Michael Olise is an incredible player who made the difference in the tie (between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals) and is having an amazing year.

“He’ll soon be one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or individually, although the team’s performance also counts. It’s a positive surprise.

“It will be difficult for him to join Real Madrid; he’s already at a very big club in Europe, and it will be complicated for him to leave.

“It’s clear that he was one of Bayern’s best signings in relation to what he cost.”