Arsenal are now planning a summer move for a “truly fantastic” midfielder, and they hold an advantage over rival suitors Real Madrid.
Gunners eyeing another midfielder after Sandro Tonali update
On transfer deadline day, there were suggestions the Gunners had opened talks to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, but manager Eddie Howe has since confirmed the Italian remains content at St. James’ Park.
Howe said: “He’s very happy and committed so I find it difficult to talk about things I don’t know too much about. I can only talk about Sandro as the person and player, and his mindset here and now. Having discussed things with him yesterday, he’s absolutely fine.”
It has since emerged that Mikel Arteta‘s side were actually contacted by intermediaries, who enquired about whether they were interested in signing the Italian, but there were ultimately no developments on deadline day.
It remains to be seen whether links to Tonali re-emerge at the end of the campaign, but in the meantime, the north Londoners have set their sights on a different central midfielder.
That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Arsenal are now planning a summer move for AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, joining Liverpool and Real Madrid in the race for his signature.
In fact, all three clubs explored deals during the January transfer window, with the Eredivisie side setting an asking price of €60m (£52m), however, the Dutchman’s price could rise to €75m (£65m), amid widespread interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.
The high price tag means the Gunners have an advantage over Real Madrid, given the vast financial resources available to Premier League clubs, but Smit has insisted his future lies with AZ Alkmaar for the time being.
£45m star just had his best ever game in an Arsenal shirt vs Chelsea
Arsenal are into their first major final for six years after defeating Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate.
Smit could be “truly fantastic” long-term signing
It is clear scout Jacek Kulig is a big admirer of the 20-year-old, having described him as a “truly fantastic and underrated midfielder”, while also dubbing the youngster as “the future” of Dutch football.
This season, the maestro has established himself as one of AZ Alkmaar’s star players, making 31 appearances in all competitions, during which time he has amassed three goals and five assists.
Perhaps one of the four-time Netherlands international’s best performances this season came in AZ Alkmaar’s emphatic 6-0 victory against Ajax last month, proving himself as a very well-rounded midfielder by scoring and making a number of important defensive contributions.
|
Kees Smit’s key stats vs Ajax |
Number completed |
|
Tackles |
3 |
|
Interceptions |
1 |
|
Accurate passes |
27/30 (90%) |
|
Key passes |
1 |
Both Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi have received plenty of plaudits this season, and Arteta is well-stocked in the middle of the park, but Smit has proven he could be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.
