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Chelsea move ahead of Man Utd in transfer for 'new Pedri'
Suraj Radia
- 14 Dec 2025 09:02 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Chelsea have ‘taken the lead’ in the transfer race for one of Europe’s standout wonderkids who appears destined to make a move to the Premier League in January.
The Blues have regularly pursued youngsters from all around the world and often look to move early to move ahead of rivals, such as with the deals for Estevao as well as Geovany Quenda, who is set to join from Sporting next summer.
The next talent on Chelsea’s agenda is now rumoured to be Kees Smit, who has attracted attention from teams such as Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle after a breakout campaign for AZ so far.
Only two players have played more minutes than 19-year-old for AZ this season but the Dutch side could be willing to cash in on Smit if they receive an offer in excess of €30 million, which would be a club record sale, according to the i paper.
The report claims that Chelsea have held recent dialogue with Smit’s camp but it is currently unclear if the Premier League giants will make a move in January for Smit since the club are expecting a quiet winter window after a busy summer.
Newcastle had been pushing the hardest for Smit and are keen to attempt a mid-season move but the Magpies are described as ‘less optimistic’ of his signature in recent weeks after Chelsea’s interest developed.
Smit draws comparisons to Pedri as profile continues to grow
Smit has become integral to AZ this season having led the Netherlands to the Under-19 European Championship title this summer, where he was named top scorer and Player of the Tournament.
The midfielder could end up being a part of Ronald Koeman’s squad for the World Cup next summer after the Netherlands boss praised Smit and compared him to Barcelona midfielder Pedri in November.
“I have to be careful what I say, but I coached Pedri at Barcelona and I see things in Kees Smit that remind me of him,” Koeman said. “The changes of direction, the use of both feet, the vision of the game — these are things I noticed in Pedri at the time.”
“He has the awareness to receive in tight spaces and move the ball forward. That is something we value. The resemblance people see (with Pedri) is in how he positions himself and his decision-making under pressure.
“Big clubs follow players with these characteristics. That is normal. What is important is that he continues developing where he is, playing regularly.”
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