According to Spanish newspaper Diario AS, Real Madrid have followed Smit for longer, but have now made an official approach for the 19-year-old wunderkind.
Kees Smit, who joined the AZ academy in 2015 at the age of 9, made his professional debut for the Alkmaar club in 2024. The attacking midfielder made a name for himself in the UEFA Europa League game against Fenerbahce, which AZ won 3-1 thanks to a goal and an assist from Kees Smit, who played 24 minutes in the second AZ game of his career.
This summer, Smit played a massive part in the Netherlands' maiden European title at the U19 Euros in Romania, becoming the tournament's joint top scorer and winning the Player of the Tournament award.
Dutch giants Ajax and PSV have reportedly expressed their interest in Smit, who is supposed to cost "at least" €25 million, according to Dutch reports. AS now calls Smit a "serious option" for Real Madrid, who also have to beat rivals FC Barcelona if they want to sign Smit.
Smit is under contract at AZ until 2028.