Is Kees Smit heading to Anfield? We look at reports that Liverpool have been offered Newcastle’s top £52m midfield target, analysing how the Dutch maestro fits into Andoni Iraola’s tactical plans and our definitive verdict on the deal.
Liverpool are weighing up a move to hijack Newcastle United’s pursuit of highly-rated AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit as Andoni Iraola looks to continue his Anfield rebuild as the new Reds head coach.
The Reds have already established a habit of frustrating those at St James’ Park in the transfer market. Last summer saw Alexander Isak complete a British-record £125million switch to Merseyside, while Hugo Ekitike also chose Anfield over the North East in a £79million deal.
Just this month, Liverpool acted swiftly to trigger Victor Munoz’s £34.5million release clause at Osasuna, directly beating Newcastle to the Spaniard’s signature which frustrated the Geordie fanbase.
Now, Smit has emerged as the latest battlefield between the two Premier League rivals.
Dual Journalist updates spark midfield speculation
Varying reports from media insiders have intensified the speculation surrounding the 20-year-old Dutch youth international, who many consider the finest young talent emerging from the Netherlands.
The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards claims that while Newcastle hold a long-term interest in Smit, they are not currently active in the race to sign him.
Crucially, Edwards explicitly warned Newcastle supporters to keep an eye on Liverpool as a potential destination. Conversely, transfer insider Graeme Bailey reports that Newcastle believe they are leading the charge.
Iraola’s tactical profile fits the Dutch starlet
If (which is a big if) AZ Alkmaar accept Smit’s desire to test himself in a stronger league but will demand a €60million (£52million) fee to sanction a sale.
The Reds recruitment department are building a deeper shortlist of midfield targets to support Iraola’s high-energy system. Smit fits the exact profile the club profile when recruiting players such as: young and high-energy.
According to reports he Reds have also shortlisted Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, and Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga as options.
Anfield presents a compelling case to the player. The club offers a direct pathway into a transitioning midfield, tactical compatibility with Iraola’s pressing style, and immediate dressing-room familiarity alongside fellow countrymen Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch.
Live4Liverpool Verdict
Selecting a developmental talent like the 20 year old Smit would also allow the recruitment team to preserve crucial funds for attacking reinforcements later in the window.
While a £52million price tag feels steep for a 20-year-old coming out of the Eredivisie, his ceiling is astronomical. He possesses the exact engine and tactical intelligence needed to thrive in Iraola’s suffocating press.
The added bonus of infuriating Newcastle again cannot be understated. After taking Isak, Ekitike, and Munoz, landing the Netherlands brightest young spark right out from under their noses would represent another massive psychological win.
With Van Dijk, Gakpo and Gravenberch already at the club to help him settle, this looks like a textbook Liverpool signing: smart, calculated, and explosive one to keep an eye on throughout the summer that’s for sure.