The financial tug-of-war over Kees Smit has taken a sharp turn, as FC Barcelona and other European giants keep a close watch on a legal loophole that could see the Dutch prodigy leave AZ Alkmaar for a fraction of his reported valuation.
While AZ is aiming for a club-record windfall, Arno Vermeulen, a prominent journalist and commentator for Studio Voetbal, warns that the club’s aggressive pricing strategy could backfire. Vermeulen suggests that if the asking price remains too high (whether it be 40, 50, or 60 million euros) Smit could effectively force his way out.
According to Vermeulen, the legal landscape for transfers has shifted following recent European court rulings, specifically citing the “Lassana Diarra case.” This precedent places more power in the hands of the player as a worker; if an agreement cannot be reached, Vermeulen believes Smit could rescind his contract for just a few hundred thousand and move freely to a club like Barcelona or Manchester City.
This potential bargain comes at a time when the 19-year-old’s stock is skyrocketing. For one, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has been vocal about the teenager’s ceiling. While noting that he had to be careful with his words, Koeman compared Smit to a player he used to coach at Barcelona, Pedri. With his combination of dribbling, vision, and use of both legs, Smit has some qualities that recall the Barça star.
However, the transition to the highest level hasn’t been without growing pains. Filling in for the injured Frenkie de Jong on March 28, Smit struggled to find his rhythm and finished with a disappointing 75% pass completion rate.
Still, the hype is quite high and AZ are looking for a big payday. They have reportedly granted a mandate to super-agent Jorge Mendes to negotiate with Europe’s elite. AZ is hoping to shatter the mark set by their previous big sale, the 25 million transfer of Tijjani Reijnders to AC Milan.