The now 20-year-old had an impressive 2025-26, scoring five goals and providing nine assists in his 46 games across all competitions.
As a result, Smit caught the attention of several members of Europe’s elite, most notably Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
Despite the links, Smit ultimately decided to stay with his boyhood club for now, following a conversation with AZ coach Lee-Roy Echteld.
“To be honest, at first I had the feeling that I was going to leave, but then it turned out that the coach really wanted me to stay,” he said, as quoted by AS. “I feel good here, surrounded by friends and family. That’s why I stayed.”
Smit also revealed that the Eredivisie side firmly closed the door on a potential exit late in the window.
“Ten days ago I had a conversation and then AZ didn’t want to let me go anymore," Smit added. "I took it positively, because I feel like I’m not done here yet."
When asked about how he dealt with the speculation, Smit responded: “At first I read a lot, but then I started to do it less.
"Because some things are not true either. I can cope with it quite well. In short, I’m here and I’m happy to be here.”