Real Madrid prioritise midfield signing with key trait for summer; 19-year-old gem a target | OneFootball

Real Madrid have decided not to enter the winter transfer window that opens in the coming days despite the team’s current situation.

Time will tell whether that intention holds, depending on what may happen or emerge during a January packed with matches and the challenge of competing in up to four different competitions.

What is beyond doubt, however, is that the search for reinforcements for next season is already underway, even if specific targets have not yet been defined.

The direction of those targets may change, but not the positions identified as priorities: central midfield and centre-back, reports AS.

A ‘brain’ in midfield a priority

As per the report, it is precisely the midfield that most concerns Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso and the club’s directors.

As such, the search for a central midfielder who can ‘bring clarity to the game’ has emerged as a crucial addition in Real Madrid’s future planning.

There has been a lack of clarity and creativity in the middle of the park in Real Madrid’s gameplay this season, despite there being no shortage of talented players in the squad.

Therefore, the club are looking for a player who can provide playmaking, control and clarity, a ‘brain’ that can run the midfield engine.

Kees Smit a target

Kees Smit is a player Real Madrid admire. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Real Madrid’s transfer strategy remains clear: to invest in young talent, although the possibility of signing an established player is not ruled out.

Among the options involving young players, Dutch midfielder Kees Smit of AZ Alkmaar has emerged as a standout target.

Just 19 years old, the feeling is that the midfielder’s time at the Eredivisie outfit has come to an end and a big move is on the horizon. Several clubs are closely monitoring his situation.

Last summer there were doubts about how Smit might adapt from Dutch football to Real Madrid, but his performances this term have dispelled them.

Real Madrid’s coaching staff know the teenager well, as he was the key figure in eliminating their U19 team from the UEFA Youth League in the 2023-24 season.

Whether this interest translates into an offer in the summer remains to be seen, but what is clear is that Smit is an option as Real Madrid prioritise a creative, controlling midfielder’s signing.