Manager Ronald Koeman has been trying to get Barcelona to take notice of rising Dutch star Kees Smit for months. However, the AZ Alkmaar player appears to be spoiled for choice when it comes to potential suitors in the next transfer window, and Real Madrid could be one of them.
“He’s a combination of Pedri and De Jong,” Koeman said a few days ago. And that leaves Rafael van der Vaart on that line. The former Real Madrid player also succumbs to the 20-year-old emerging talent in the Eredivisie. “He is simply an incredibly good player. Often we want to immediately label someone as a good player, but in this case he is really good,” the former footballer said on Ziggo Sport’s show “Rondo”.
We often try to label someone as a good person, but in this case he really is.
Van der Vaart is clear about where the player will end up. “If he continues to progress like this, he will definitely end up at Real Madrid or one of the biggest clubs in the world. For me it’s Real Madrid,” he added.
The former player recognizes that Sumit still has room to grow as a footballer, but has no doubts about his great potential and maturity despite his young age: “He’s still a down-to-earth person. He doesn’t put pressure on himself, at least I don’t think so. Plus, he gives good interviews and handles himself well.”
