According to Sky Sports News, AZ will not stand in Smit’s way if a potential suitor arrives. But they expect to break their current outgoing record of £21.8m fee paid by AC Milan for Tijjani Reijnders with this sale. However, if the transfer race heats up, Barcelona might have an edge as the player is a self-proclaimed Blaugrana fan.
When asked about Koeman's glowing praise and comparisons to Pedri, he said: "If he thinks so, maybe it is. I wasn’t expecting it, but I think it’s a good comparison. Before, I was De Bruyne, and now I’m Pedri (laughs). Or Frenkie de Jong. I understand that people found it a rather strange comparison. I watch almost every Barcelona match. It’s simply my favourite club."
For now, Smit remains focused on AZ’s campaign, but the sense of inevitability around his next move is growing.