A £51.5m-rated 20-year-old has attracted Premier League scouts after AZ Alkmaar’s Europa League visit to Sunderland.
Chelsea transfer news has taken another turn after TEAMtalk reported that seven clubs watched Kees Smit during AZ Alkmaar’s trip to Sunderland. Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham all sent scouts, according to the report.
Smit started the Europa League match at the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland won 1-0 through Enzo Le Fée’s second-half penalty. The Dutch midfielder caught attention, particularly when he pushed forward after the interval and sent a shot narrowly wide.
Smit has developed into a regular starter for AZ after breaking into their senior side in 2024. TEAMtalk described Liverpool as long-term admirers, while the latest scouting presence shows how widely his progress has attracted Premier League interest. The report places his potential value at about £51.5m, adding a financial angle to the competition.
Chelsea transfer news: Should Chelsea pursue Kees Smit in January?
Chelsea transfer news around Smit makes sense from a scouting perspective, yet a January move would be difficult to justify for Xabi Alonso’s side. Smit offers qualities Chelsea can use. He can play centrally, operate as an attacking midfielder or sit deeper, while his passing range and vision can open defensive lines. His 2026/27 numbers reinforce that appeal, with four Eredivisie starts producing two assists and seven chances created.
However, the bigger issue sits away from the ball. Smit has recorded no successful tackles across those four league appearances, while his 11 possession losses show the risk attached to his ambitious passing. His 1.85m height gives him presence, but he still needs greater lateral movement and defensive aggression before Premier League midfield battles become routine.
Chelsea currently have a more urgent problem in defensive protection. The 3-0 defeat at Brentford left Alonso’s side with 12 goals conceded in five league matches, and that record points to a need for greater security around the back three. Adding another creative midfielder would not directly solve that weakness.
There is another concern, and that’s squad balance. Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers already occupy creative roles, so a £51.5m investment in another ball-dominant youngster could leave Chelsea spending heavily without addressing their weakness. Smit could become an excellent Premier League midfielder, but Chelsea need defensive steel first. For Alonso, that is more than the noise around seven scouting reports.
