Kees Smit Explains Why He Turned Down a Big Summer Move to Stay at AZ Alkmaar

Kees Smit, the talented young midfielder from AZ Alkmaar, has opened up about his choice to decline a major summer transfer despite strong interest from Real Madrid. The 20-year-old Dutch player decided to continue his career in the Eredivisie after important conversations behind the scenes with his current team.

Real Madrid's Midfield Hunt

During the recent transfer window, Real Madrid was actively looking to strengthen their midfield. They brought in former Manchester City star Bernardo Silva and promising talent Sergio Martinez, but were still searching for more reinforcements. Their main target was Spain’s World Cup-winning captain Rodri, who ended up signing for rivals Barcelona instead. This led Los Blancos to consider other options, with Smit appearing on their shortlist of potential signings.

Despite interest from top European clubs, Smit surprised many by committing to stay at AZ Alkmaar.

Coach Lee-Roy Echteld’s Influence

In an interview with AZ Alkmaar’s official media, Smit revealed he initially expected to leave during the summer transfer period. But an intervention by head coach Lee-Roy Echteld changed his mind.

"To be honest, at first I had the feeling that I was going to leave, but then it turned out that the coach really wanted me to stay," said Smit, as quoted by AS. "I feel good here, surrounded by friends and family. That’s why I stayed."

The player also mentioned that just ten days before the end of the window, AZ made it clear they did not want to let him go.

"Ten days ago I had a conversation and then AZ didn’t want to let me go anymore," Smit added. "I took it positively, because I feel like I’m not done here yet."

Ignoring Transfer Rumors

With the spotlight of a club like Real Madrid comes intense media attention, and Smit had to deal with plenty of rumors about his future across Spain and the Netherlands. Yet, he chose to distance himself from the constant speculation.

"At first I read a lot, but then I started to do it less," he explained. "Because some things are not true either. I can cope with it quite well. In short, I’m here and I’m happy to be here."

Focusing on Growth at AZ Alkmaar

Now that the transfer window is closed, Smit can focus fully on developing his skills at the AFAS Stadion. Staying in a familiar setting ensures he gets valuable regular first-team minutes under the guidance of Echteld.

Smit has already shown his quality this season. After helping AZ win the KNVB Cup last term, he played a key role in their 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven to claim the Johan Cruyff Shield in the opening game of the campaign.

If he keeps up this level of performance, top clubs like Real Madrid will surely come knocking again. For now, the young midfielder is focused on driving AZ’s domestic success and preparing for a big step forward in his career.

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