“Crazy battle” – Fabrizio Romano provides update on Liverpool-linked midfielder | OneFootball

Liverpool watch teenage midfielder as transfer market heats up

Liverpool’s recruitment radar rarely drifts far from Europe’s emerging talent, and the name Kees Smit now sits firmly within that familiar orbit. Fabrizio Romano’s late night update has added momentum to a story that has been quietly building around the AZ Alkmaar midfielder, a player expected to shape a lively summer market.

Smit, still only 19, has developed at speed in the Eredivisie, enough to draw attention from across the Premier League and beyond. With a contract running until 2028, AZ hold a strong negotiating position, but that has not cooled the interest. Instead, it has sharpened it, with Liverpool among the clubs understood to be monitoring developments closely.

Romano update hints at summer move

Romano’s comments underline a growing sense of inevitability around Smit’s future. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he outlined both the timing and the scale of what lies ahead.

“I keep mentioning that name to you as one of the big names we’ll have for 2026 on the market – summer more likely than January,” he said.

“It’s true that Jorge Mendes is taking care of this. Since December, Mendes is working to coordinate the future of Kees Smit. There are conversations ongoing.

“Newcastle wanted to bring the player in January and were prepared to pay big money. But at the moment, nothing is advanced yet on the player’s side.”

Those conversations appear set to mature when the season closes, with Liverpool well aware that early groundwork often defines success later.

Liverpool competition grows across Europe

Any move for Smit will demand conviction as well as cash. Romano has suggested a fee comfortably above £52m, a figure that reflects both potential and scarcity.

“AZ Alkmaar want more than the reported €45m-50m [£39m-43.4m]. In my opinion, the transfer fee will be more than €60m [£52m] for Smit,” he added.

“Get ready, because Real Madrid are following the player, because top Premier League clubs are following the player.

“There’s going to be a crazy battle for this boy. And the man coordinating this battle is Jorge Mendes, as reported today in the Netherlands.

“For sure there are talks taking place. I expect this deal to happen in the summer transfer window. I expect big clubs, from the Premier League and Real Madrid, to attack the situation.”

For Liverpool, competition of that calibre is familiar territory.

Midfield planning at Anfield

Liverpool’s midfield has been reshaped over the past two seasons, yet planning remains ongoing. Contract talks with Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister underline a desire for stability, though questions persist around long term balance and depth.

Smit fits the profile Liverpool have often favoured, technically secure, tactically flexible and young enough to grow into the role rather than arrive fully formed. Whether or not a bid materialises, his rise reflects Liverpool’s broader strategy, staying alert to the market’s next movement before it becomes a sprint rather than a jog.