Barcelona among top clubs monitoring teenage midfield gem likened to Pedri | OneFootball

Earlier this week, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman made a huge statement about young Dutch midfielder Kees Smit, comparing him to Barcelona maestro Pedri.

The Oranje head coach, who handed Pedri his breakthrough at Barça, claimed that he saw similarities between the Spanish superstar and the up-and-coming 19-year-old Smit, who plays for AZ Alkmaar.

Barcelona watching Smit

Building on that, the Daily Mail in England reports that Barcelona are one of many clubs closely watching the development of Smit.

Apart from the Blaugrana, their bitter rivals, Real Madrid, are also interested in the teenage Dutch midfielder. German heavyweights Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are also in the mix.

More recently, Premier League club Newcastle United have also entered the fray as potential suitors of Smit, with new director Ross Wilson keen on adding more young talent to the squad. Crystal Palace have also been touted as admirers.

Kees Smit is a sought-after player in Europe. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Smit has a contract with AZ until 2028, but as per the report, it is likely that he will leave for a bigger club in the summer, for a potential fee of around £20 million.

Smit a Barcelona fan

In case Barcelona do decide to make a move for Smit, they may end up having a major advantage over the other interested parties.

After all, the teenage prodigy admitted in an interview earlier this week that the Blaugrana are his favourite club and he follows them closely.

“I watch almost every Barcelona match. It’s simply my favourite club,” stated Smit.

Regarding Koeman comparing him to Pedri, the teenage gem added: “If he thinks so, maybe I am. 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 De Bruyne and now I’m Pedri (laughs). Or Frenkie de Jong.”