Club ready to agree €30m midfield transfer | OneFootball

The latest reports claim one club is ready to allow their star player to join Liverpool for just €30m.

Ever since that spectacular summer in 2023, which saw four midfielders join the Reds, and on top of that Trey Nyoni arrive as well, the club has neglected the midfield department.

Sure enough, Arne Slot did try to bolster it in his first year. Martin Zubimendi was courted but ultimately Richard Hughes' efforts to lure him to Anfield were not successful.

It's fair to say, Liverpool also haven't needed a refresh in the last two years. Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have all grew into their roles. Wataru Endo has also been a very useful back-up player.

But now it feels like 2026 will be a time when we see more midfielders arrive at the club. Endo is getting towards the end of his career and even as a deputy he cannot be trusted - especially as he has started to accrue more injuries this season.

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Gravenberch alone cannot hold the fort in the holding midfield department meanwhile Szoboszlai cannot be expected to be the only runner with the intensity he has in midfield.

So Liverpool have got to be looking elsewhere. They have to rejuvenate their options and it feels like someone who would tick that profile is Kees Smit.

The AZ Alkmaar midfielder comes from a club Slot knows well, having managed the Dutch side in the Eredivisie. Smit is a very technical midfielder.

He is cultured in the best sense. He's a great ball carrier and he covers a lot of ground. The intensity that he plays with and the aggressiveness is very similar to Szoboszlai.

At the same time he's great at arriving in the box, has the technique to be a fantastic midfielder in the build-up and just become a perfect all-round midfielder.

Only 19-years-old, he feels like a project signing. That's absolutely what he is going to be. But Liverpool have done really well investing in the Eredivisie recently.

Cody Gakpo turned out to be a success, before him Luis Suarez was also a major success. The Reds don't often tend to sign players from that league but when they do it works out pretty well.

So this is why it's interesting that Smit is on Liverpool's radar. According to Ekrem Konur, Alkmaar are also ready to agree a €30m for their star player, which would make Smit an absolute bargain.

After all he's not just catching the eye against Eredivisie sides, he's done well in Europe and across youth international competitions. Smit has been instrumental in winning Alkmaar the UEFA Youth League and he's long been regarded as one of the best young midfielders in European football.

To sign him for just €30m would be an extremely smart deal for Liverpool. It's the kind of deal Edwards and Hughes would get praised for over and over again.