According to Caught Offside, Manchester United have joined Chelsea in the race to sign AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit during the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils are planning to reinforce their midfield department and have their sights on landing more than one midfielder during the off-season. Caught Offside report that Smit has emerged as a top target for the Mancunian giants and they could go head-to-head with Chelsea to secure his services this summer.
Smit’s creativity and ability to dictate play from deep midfield areas have caught the eye, but he won’t come on the cheap for his suitors. The Dutchman recently made his international debut and it is claimed that AZ will demand a package between £52 million and £69 million to part ways with their prized asset.
Huge talent
The 20-year-old has developed into a key player for AZ in a short span of time. He has been brilliant as a central midfielder for the Eredivisie outfit, completing 88 percent of his passes this term. The Netherlands star has also made 5 recoveries and almost 2 tackles per game.
Smit has also chipped in with valuable goal contributions. He has bagged 5 goals and 10 assists from 45 appearances across all competitions. Smit can operate anywhere in midfield, and this could be a reason behind the Red Devils’ pursuit of his signature.
Chelsea are also hot on the trail of young Dutchman and they may see him as a potential successor to Enzo Fernandez, who appears keen on a new challenge elsewhere. The Argentine talked up a potential move to Real Madrid during the March international break.
However, United have a significant advantage over the Blues in terms of stability. They are poised to return to the Champions League next season with a top-five league finish, while the Blues may not even play in Europe. They are 8th in the league after five straight losses.
Michael Carrick has done a tremendous job as the interim manager and seems in pole position for the permanent role too. Keeping this in mind, United should be a more lucrative destination over Chelsea, who have just parted ways with head coach Liam Rosenior.
