Fabrizio Romano gives Newcastle update: Transfer expert gives record fee warning

Robin Bairner

10 Jan 2026 11:47 GMT
4 min read

Newcastle have been told that they will have to break the bank to sign AZ midfielder Kees Smit, with Real Madrid also tracking the 19-year-old Dutch sensation.

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AZ are demanding a club-record fee for Smit, who is set to become the third-most expensive export from the Eredivisie behind only Antony and Frenkie de Jong.

Kees Smit: AZ demand huge fee for in-form star

Romano says that the groundwork for a deal is being put in place by super-agent Jorge Mendes and that reports of a fee in the region of €50m underestimate how much the Alkmaar outfit are demanding.

“Kees Smit is one of the big names to watch for 2026,” Romano said.

“Jorge Mendes has been working on his future since December. Newcastle were prepared to pay big money in January, but nothing is advanced yet on the player side.

Current ETV

Kees Smit

M, DM (C)

Kees Smit

M, DM (C)

ETV Range

€14.6M - €24.3M

“AZ Alkmaar want more than the reported €45 or 50 million. My feeling is that the price will be over €60 million.

“Real Madrid and top Premier League clubs are following him closely. There will be a big battle, and this deal is expected to happen in the summer, not now.

“He is 19 years old and one of the most talented midfielders in Europe. One to follow for sure.”

A rapid explosion

Smit’s rapidly rising value is underlined by the explosion of his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV), which as climbed from €6.8m at the beginning of the season, climbing to €19.5m in FootballTransfers’ latest update on 1 January.

This rapid rise has been fuelled by his outstanding performances in the Eredivisie for AZ.

Smit was compared to Barcelona star Pedri by Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman, who said: “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.”

Is he ready for Newcastle?

Dutch football expert Lars Leeftink previously told FootballTransfers that Smit may be best advised to be patient before making a big jump to Newcastle or Madrid.

"Smit currently lacks productivity in terms of goals and assists and could be more important to his team. He would be at his best in a technical or tactical league such as the Spanish, French or German league,” Leeftink said.

“The biggest challenge for Smit in the Premier League will be the physical aspect of the competition, as well as the high number of matches that will be played.

“Whether he is ready for this step is the question. An intermediate step to, for example, a sub-top team in the top leagues of Europe or staying with AZ would do him good in that respect."

AZ have been resistant to a January move, and from Romano’s words, it looks like a summer move looks likeliest.