Kees Smit - Dutch Wonderkid on LFC Radar - Media Watch
By Ewan Reid
At just 19-years-old, AZ Alkmaar wonderkid Kees Smit is considered one of the best midfield talents in Europe. He’s currently linked with the majority of the continent’s elite clubs and the rumour mill has started swirling of a projected £25m switch to Anfield. So let’s take a look at the Dutch budding superstar and what he could bring to Liverpool.
Playstyle
Smit is a technically gifted midfielder who excels in several roles across the centre of the pitch. Comfortable operating in both attacking and defending roles, he has been primarily utilised as a LCM in a flat midfield three for AZ Alkmaar this season, racking up a total of four goal contributions in the league.
His relentless work rate has made him indispensable for the Dutch side this season, appearing 12 times out of a possible 13 in the Eredivisie, his one absence forced by a minor hip problem.
In possession, the youngster has an abundance of confidence. Elegant on the ball, Smit loves to glide past players, drop a shoulder and send his opponents the wrong way similar to Thiago, a fan favourite during his time at Liverpool. His close control is among the best in the Eredivisie. Completing over 60% of his dribble attempts, he’s explosive and is able to quickly accelerate/change direction from a standing position, a rare trait for such a young midfielder.
He has already drawn comparisons to some of Europe’s elite midfielders with the Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman highlighting similarities between the 19-year-old and Barcelona and Spain superstar Pedri:
“The way he turns away from his opponent, the way he scans the area, his two-footedness... I saw that in Pedri too. If he gets half his career, we’ll be very happy in the Netherlands.”
Overall, the Dutchman’s dynamism and technical ability make him a strong fit for Liverpool, a team that has lacked a midfield spark at times this season.
Slot Connection
Arne Slot’s personal connection to Smit appears to be a driving factor in Liverpool’s rumoured interest. First encountering the midfielder during his time coaching at AZ Alkmaar, reports from the Netherlands suggest Slot had his attention caught by Smit’s technical ability and intelligence from a young age.
Having already integrated several Dutch players into his plans at Liverpool, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Slot picture Smit as a natural fit for his evolving system.
How He Would Fit -
In terms of profile, Smit most closely mirrors Dominik Szoboszlai, the Red’s standout midfielder this season, and arguably their best performer overall.
Apart from a select few areas in his game needing development such as his tackling, Smit is not too distant from the Hungarian in key metrics such as progressive passes, forward passes and progressive carries.
Data: DataMB
The signing of Smit could be transformative for the Reds, not just through individual quality, but the impact he could have on players such as Wirtz and Isak.
Smit excels when receiving the ball deep, inviting pressure, and driving the ball forward. In contrast, Wirtz has struggled when tasked with these responsibilities, especially in the Premier League.
Introducing a profile such as Smit into the side would allow Wirtz to operate higher up the pitch, drift across the front line and receive the ball in space, facilitating the line-breaking passes and dynamic dribbles from the German which fans have been so keen to see.
Isak could also benefit from Smit. While the Swede has had a disappointing start to his Liverpool career, it is not entirely down to the efforts of the striker. Isak thrives on receiving direct service and has looked isolated at times this season. With Wirtz granted more attacking freedom, this could see the two mutually benefit, linking up more often and begin to register the goal-and-assist numbers expected of them.
Would Smit Be a Good Signing?
In short, definitely.
However, the young midfielder still needs time to develop and with his profile being so similar to that of Szoboszlai and Gravenberch, Liverpool may need to look elsewhere for a more immediate solution to their midfield troubles.
While the young Dutchman may not be the type of player that comes in and has an instant impact, his signing should be a top priority for the Reds given the competition in securing his signature from other European clubs.
If given time to integrate and develop his game into the elite, creative, press-resistant midfielder he looks set to become, Smit could be an extremely intelligent signing for the Reds and fans should be excited at the prospect of his arrival.