Liverpool's £51.5m Pursuit of Kees Smit Intensifies
Liverpool’s midfield rebuild might not be finished yet. Not if their latest scouting mission is any indication.
Club representatives were in the stands at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night, watching AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit in a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland. The result was irrelevant. The 20-year-old Dutchman was not.
TeamTalk report that Liverpool, described as “long-term admirers” of Smit, travelled specifically to monitor the midfielder again, as his reputation continues to accelerate across Europe.
They were far from alone.
Chelsea, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Brighton all had eyes on the AZ starlet, according to the same report, with Smit named as the primary reason for their trips to Wearside. When that many Premier League clubs converge on one player, it usually signals more than casual curiosity. It looks like a race forming in real time.
Rising Star, Rising Price
Smit started the game and, by those watching, “produced another eye-catching display” despite AZ losing to a late Enzo Le Fée penalty. For scouts, that matters. Performances under pressure, in awkward away fixtures, often weigh heavier than a routine win at home.
Over the past 18 months, Smit has “emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young midfield talents” and become central to AZ’s strong opening to the season, with the club sitting second in the Eredivisie. His influence has grown as AZ have pushed up the table, and Liverpool’s interest tracks neatly with that upward curve.
This is not a name plucked from nowhere. The report notes that Smit’s form since breaking into the AZ first team in 2024 has drawn “sustained interest from England for more than two years,” with clubs across the continent keeping him “firmly on the radar.” Liverpool’s presence in Sunderland fits that longer pattern of homework rather than a knee-jerk reaction to one good night.
There is, however, a clear financial barrier. Smit is being talked about as a “€60m (£51.5m, $69m) rated star” — a fee that puts him squarely in the premium bracket for young midfielders. Any club moving in January will know two things: they won’t be alone, and they shouldn’t expect a bargain.
Midfield Question Marks at Anfield
The story sharpens when you look at Liverpool’s internal debate. TeamTalk report that “The Reds are understood to be considering a mid-season swoop for a new midfielder,” with head coach Andoni Iraola said to harbour doubts that “his current options cannot bring his high-intensity press demands to life.”
That line cuts to the core of Iraola’s football. His teams thrive on aggression, energy and relentless pressing out of possession. If the staff feel the current midfield lacks the legs or tactical edge to sustain that over a long Premier League season, then a profile like Smit’s becomes especially attractive.
Liverpool are said to have “shortlisted four potential options ahead of the January window,” with Smit now “added to that list.” No move is described as imminent, and there is no suggestion of an agreement being close. But the combination of detailed scouting, long-term admiration and a clear tactical need makes this one to watch as the window approaches.
Unfinished Business After Summer Standstill
There is another layer to this. Smit “had been expected to make a move during the summer, but no transfer materialised despite strong interest from clubs across Europe.” When a widely tipped move doesn’t happen and the player keeps performing, the story rarely disappears. It just rolls on to the next window.
His omission from Ronald Koeman’s latest Netherlands squad is flagged as a disappointment, yet the report is clear that “That setback has done little to diminish the interest” around him. If anything, his response at club level has kept the spotlight fixed firmly on AZ.
Tuesday’s outing at Sunderland was only one data point, but the broader picture is obvious: Liverpool are watching closely, the Premier League queue behind Smit is growing, and a £51.5m call in January could become one of the defining sub-plots of the winter window.
From Liverpool’s point of view, the logic is hard to ignore. Iraola’s system demands intensity and intelligent pressing. If the current midfield can’t consistently hit those levels, the temptation to move for a 20-year-old who offers both immediate energy and long-term upside will be strong.
The fee is the sticking point. The market for elite young midfielders has shifted, and with “Chelsea, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Brighton” already tracking him live, hesitation could prove costly.
So the question isn’t whether Kees Smit is on Liverpool’s radar. He clearly is. The question is whether January becomes the moment they decide to strike in a crowded field, or risk watching a player they’ve admired for years energise someone else’s midfield instead.
