The Spanish newspaper "Sport" reported that FC Barcelona is closely monitoring the young Dutch midfielder Kees Smit from AZ Alkmaar, amid growing interest following remarks by the Netherlands national team coach Ronald Koeman, who said: "I have coached Pedri at Barcelona and I see some of his traits in Kees Smit."

The newspaper mentioned that scouts from several major European clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester City, attended the player's recent matches to closely monitor his performance. The newspaper added that the Dutch club might allow Smit to leave next summer for around 25 million euros, despite his contract running until 2028, making the competition for this promising talent fierce among European clubs.

The newspaper pointed out that Barcelona's midfield is currently well-covered by the players, but the sports management, led by Deco, is monitoring market opportunities to strengthen the team with future talents. In the recent transfer window, the team acquired Juan Garcia for 25 million euros, Marcus Rashford on loan, and Roni Badarji for just 2.5 million euros.

The report confirmed that Kessie expressed his desire to play for Barcelona, but the final decision will depend on the upcoming offers. The newspaper predicted that the player would be one of the standout names in the upcoming summer transfer market, with strong competition from English Premier League clubs and Real Madrid.