Rio Ferdinand has seen enough. In his mind, Manchester United have found a midfielder they simply cannot afford to let slip away.
The name is Kees Smit.
The 20-year-old AZ Alkmaar talent has gone from promising Eredivisie prospect to full Dutch international in the space of a few months, and Ferdinand is adamant that Old Trafford should be his next stop.
“Sign him right now”
Speaking on his podcast Rio Ferdinand Presents, the former United defender did not bother with caution.
“Kees Smit is the real deal, I’m telling you,” Ferdinand said. “He’s the kind of player where you think: I’d sign him right now, even if he might not be quite ready for the first team just yet.”
This is not the language of a casual recommendation. It is a call to action.
“I hope he breaks through and takes the world by storm. And if we have to wait six months or a year for him, I don’t mind at all, because we absolutely cannot let him go to another club.”
United, a club that has spent the last decade searching for a long-term midfield heartbeat, are being told – by one of their own – that the answer may be in Alkmaar.
A rising Dutch international at a crossroads
Smit made his debut for the Netherlands only last month, another marker in a rapid rise that now feels like the prelude to a major transfer.
His performances for AZ have already drawn attention across Europe. The 4-0 win over Sparta Prague in the Conference League only sharpened the focus. After that match, speaking to Ziggo Sport, Smit admitted he is seriously weighing up his future.
“Basically, I want to play a lot; that’s important to me,” he said. “I could stay at AZ, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Those are not the words of a player content to drift through another season in familiar surroundings. They are the words of someone ready for a leap.
AZ are preparing for that reality. On Thursday, Smit will again be central to their plans in the Conference League quarter-final against Shakhtar Donetsk. In the Eredivisie, AZ sit sixth, three points behind Ajax, still fighting to salvage a season that has not quite matched expectations.
Yet everything around Smit suggests his personal trajectory is already outgrowing the club’s current ceiling.
Ferdinand’s conviction
Ferdinand is not simply dazzled by a few clips on social media. He made clear that he has watched Smit closely and done his homework.
“Kees Smit is a top player, believe me. That lad… I’ve seen him play a few times now and that was enough for me. I’ve seen the footage and… wow!” he said.
“I’ve also spoken to a few people in the Netherlands, friends of mine… He’s got the real deal.”
For a club like United, constantly linked with established, high-cost midfielders, Ferdinand’s stance is striking. This is not a plea for a superstar ready-made. It is a demand for a club with long-term ambitions to trust its scouting and invest early in a player who might define a midfield for a decade.
The message is blunt: wait, nurture, but do not miss out.
The €60 million question
None of this comes cheap. Reports suggest AZ are demanding around €60 million for Smit. That figure has sparked debate in the Netherlands and beyond – and Smit himself is not blind to the noise.
“I understand that everyone is talking about it,” he admitted. “The figures I’m hearing are absurd. I get that people disagree with it or think it’s a huge amount of money. I feel the same way myself.”
It is rare honesty from a young player in the middle of a transfer storm. He knows the numbers are huge. He also knows they reflect how the market now views him.
For AZ, that valuation is both a shield and a statement. Pay the premium, or watch someone else do it. For Smit, it is both a compliment and a burden he will have to carry into every touch, every game, until the next move is made.
United’s dilemma
So the stage is set. A 20-year-old Dutch international, a club demanding top-tier money, and a Manchester United legend insisting the gamble is worth it.
United have been here before with young talent and have not always moved decisively. The question now is whether they listen to one of their most decorated former players and act with the urgency he demands.
Smit will step out for AZ again on Thursday night, wearing the same shirt, playing in the same colours. But with every game, every assured performance in Europe, the sense grows that he is auditioning for something far bigger.
If Ferdinand gets his way, the next time he pulls on a red shirt, it will not be AZ’s.
