Newcastle United has Kees Smit in mind as a possible successor to Sandro Tonali. The move is tied to a deal that could reach one hundred million euro, and that puts AZ in the middle of another transfer fight. Smit is still only twenty years old, yet he is already being tracked as next season's reinforcement.
Kees Smit and Newcastle United
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United sees Kees Smit of AZ as the next name to follow if Tonali moves on. Tottenham Hotspur has reportedly offered ninety million euro for Tonali, and Newcastle United wants to act only after that transfer is completed. The club is planning its next move around that sequence, not before it.
Smit has built his profile over the past seasons into one of the most sought-after talents in the Netherlands. He has also been linked with FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, which shows the level of attention around him before Newcastle United even enters the picture. For AZ, that means the pressure is not coming from one place.
AZ and Kees Smit
AZ knows the interest in Smit is strong and wants to cooperate with a departure only if the absolute top price is paid. That is the financial line around this story: Newcastle United is preparing for about one hundred million euro on Tonali, while AZ is setting its own bar for the midfielder it wants to keep or sell on its terms.
There is also a clear complication. Smit previously said he had no problem with one more season at AZ, and Niels van Duinen said he was open to a contract extension. Newcastle United may still circle back after the Tonali deal is finished, but the player and club are not moving in only one direction.
That leaves AZ with leverage for now. Smit can stay for another season, or the interest around him can harden into a bid once Newcastle United finishes its business with Tonali and decides whether to turn interest into a concrete offer.
