‘He’s a player for Barcelona’ – Ronald Koeman says Kees Smit is a ‘mix of Frenkie de Jong and Pedri’
The youngster is a wanted man ahead of the summer transfer window.
ALKMAAR, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 4: Kees Smit of AZ Alkmaar celebrates 1-0 during the Dutch KNVB Beker match between AZ Alkmaar v Telstar at the AFAS Stadium on March 4, 2026 in Alkmaar Netherlands (Photo by Jeroen van den Berg/Soccrates/Getty Images) | Getty Images Kees Smit has been linked with Barcelona on several occasions and a potential move to Catalunya has now been talked up by Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman. The former Barcelona coach has been asked if Smit has the quality to play for Hansi Flick’s side and made it clear just how highly he rates the youngster. “He’s a player for Barça.
He can be a mix of Frenkie [De Jong] and Pedri . If you’re a mix of the two, you’re very good,” he told Cayo TV. Smit is being tipped to move on in the summer transfer window, and Koeman thinks he will head away from the Eredivisie at the end of the season.
“It’s going to be a big team from outside the Netherlands, because nobody in the Netherlands can afford the money needed to keep him for another year,” he added. Barcelona aren’t the only club being linked with Smit , with Premier League clubs also thought to be keen on the AZ wonderkid.