"Real Madrid's long-term planning for life beyond their current midfield core is well underway, and fresh information from AS has shed light on the names being seriously considered at the Santiago Bernabeu. While several established stars across Europe are admired, it is Kees Smit of AZ Alkmaar who has quietly risen to the top of the club's internal shortlist. According to the report, Madrid's recruitment department has assessed a number of high-profile midfielders as part of its succession planning."
"However, while those players represent proven, elite-level options, Real Madrid's focus has increasingly shifted toward identifying the next generational midfielder before his value explodes. That is where Kees Smit comes in. The 19-year-old first caught the attention of Madrid scouts during the 202223 UEFA Youth League, where his composure, positional awareness and ability to dictate tempo stood out against elite academy opposition. Since then, Smit's development at AZ Alkmaar has only reinforced Madrid's belief that he could become a future cornerstone in midfield."
Real Madrid is planning midfield succession and has assessed several high-profile targets including Vitinha, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister and Adam Wharton. The recruitment department rates those players for technical quality, intelligence and game influence. The club is increasingly focused on identifying a generational midfielder before value escalation, with 19-year-old Kees Smit of AZ Alkmaar emerging as the internal favorite. Smit impressed during the 2022–23 UEFA Youth League and has developed at AZ with composure, positional awareness, tempo control and tactical maturity. Several Premier League and Bundesliga clubs are also tracking his progress, creating competition for his signature.
Read at www.caughtoffside.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]