€75m ‘mega-talent’ says ‘yes to Real Madrid’ to become FOURTH 2026 signing – report | OneFootball

AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit is ready to join Real Madrid next summer and become the fourth signing for Los Blancos after Nico Paz, Manex Rezola and Guille Gonzalez, according to a Spanish report, as the youngster’s recent comments about leaving come to light.

Madrid are keen on signing a new midfielder in the summer of 2026, and Smit is one of the players that the Spanish and European giants are keen on. Smit has emerged as one of the best young midfielders in Europe and has been compared to Barcelona star Pedri by Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman, while Dutch publication De Telegraaf has described him as a ‘diamond’ and a ‘mega-talent’.

On January 1, AS reported that Madrid are keen on a 2026 summer deal for Smit, with Los Blancos viewing the midfielder as the perfect profile for their midfield.

Madrid are looking for young and talented players who can become a mainstay of the first team for years, and the 19-year-old falls into that category.

It is not going to be a cheap deal, though, with sources telling TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, that AZ will demand more than €60million (£52.2m, $70.6m) for Smit, with some in the Netherlands of the feeling that he could cost as much as €75million (£65.3m, $88.3m).

Defensa Central, a Real Madrid-centric news outlet, has now brought an update on the Dutch teenager’s situation, with the headline in the report stating: ‘Kees Smit (19) says yes to signing for Real Madrid’.

The report has claimed that Smit is willing to join Real Madrid in a transfer next summer’.

It has been stated that Madrid chief scout ‘Juni Calafat has already informed Real Madrid that Kees Smit is determined to sign next summer if they make a move for him’.

As things stand, if Smit does eventually join Madrid next summer, then he will become the fourth signing for Xabi Alonso’s side, although the second for the first team.

Cadiz have already announced that 17-year-old right-back Guille Gonzalez is joining Madrid, although the teenager will initially team up with Julián López de Lerma’s Juvenil A side.

Madrid have also secured the services of Manex Rezola from Logrones, with the 19-year-old attacking midfielder to feature for their third team initially.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed in November that Real Madrid have already decided to sign Nico Paz from Como next summer.

Romano reiterated the claim this week, with Madrid to trigger the buy-back clause of €9million (£8m, $10.6m) in Paz’s contract at Como.

What Kees Smit has said about AZ exit

While Defensa Central has a strong presence on social media – it has over 133,000 followers on X – it is a speculative news outlet.

Until and unless other Spanish and/or Real Madrid media outlets confirm that Smit wants to join Madrid, we need to treat this particular claim with caution.

Of course, given that Real Madrid are (arguably?) the biggest club in the world, Smit could well be tempted to join Los Blancos, but we need more authoritative Spanish sources, such as Marca and AS, to back the claim that he has said yes to a move to Estadio Bernabeu.

Smit, though, has openly said that he is ready to leave AZ at the end of the season and move to a bigger club.

When asked if he would leave AZ, Smit told De Telegraaf last month: “Yes, I think so. I think six months, or a year and a half.

“After that, I hope to have made a good move. I don’t find it [the speculation] difficult to deal with. I actually think it’s quite nice, and I’ve started thinking about it. Like: Imagine if it actually happens?”

Meanwhile, a Premier League star’s ‘dream’ is to play for Real Madrid, who are keen on signing him as a free agent in the summer of 2026.