Barcelona handed boost as transfer target says he'll leave current side soon and names transfer fee his club will demand

Barcelona have been handed a major transfer boost as target Kees Smit has hinted at a possible exit from his club, AZ Alkmaar. The 19-year-old Dutch midfielder is one of the highly rated talents in the Eredivisie and has attracted interest from multiple European clubs, including La Blaugrana.

A product of AZ Alkmaar's academy, Smit made his professional debut in 2023. He broke into the first team the following year and has since established himself as a regular, collecting four goals and seven assists in 58 appearances across competitions.

In the current campaign, he has registered two goals and five assists in 27 outings. Smith's versatility is one of his strongest suits, as the young midfielder can be deployed either as a central, defensive or attacking midfielder. His versatility and style of play have earned him comparisons to Barcelona star Pedri.

In a recent interview with De Telegraaf (via Diario AS), Smit spoke about his future and confirmed that he is close to leaving AZ Alkmaar. Interestingly, the Dutchman also named his possible transfer fee.

He said:

"How long do I see myself at AZ? I think six months or a year and a half. After that, I hope to have taken the next step. I expect my transfer to be completed for 30 million."

Speaking further, Smit added that a €30 million transfer would make him the most expensive sale in the club's history. He also admitted his keen desire to leave in search of greener pastures elsewhere.

"It would be AZ’s most expensive sale and would be good for the club." Smit said. "My next step is outside of the Netherlands. I don’t find it difficult to accept. In fact, I think it’s wonderful, and I’ve started thinking about it,” he added.

Barcelona eyeing a move for Premier League star who could become a free agent next summer - Reports

According to journalist Matteo Moretto (via Barca Universal), Barcelona are eyeing a summer move for Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi. The Argentine star is in the final months of his contract with the Cherries and is expected to leave at the end of the season as a free agent.

Barcelona are keen to rope in an experienced left-footed centre-back to replace Inigo Martínez, who departed for Al-Nassr in the summer. Sensei has been at Bournemouth since 2022 and has racked up over 100 appearances for the Premier League side.

As per the aforementioned report, the La Liga giants have already made enquiries about Senesi's availability, a move which shows strong intent.

Edited by Okenna Okere