Chelsea are reportedly planning to make a move to sign AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, as per Caught Offside.
Despite winning the Club World Cup and Conference League titles under Enzo Maresca, the Blues decided to dismiss the Italian midway through this campaign.
After being impressed by his performances for Strasbourg, Chelsea appointed Liam Rosenior as the new manager. They even enjoyed a bright start under the Englishman’s guidance.
However, the West London club have failed to continue the momentum, losing the last three consecutive games. They were even thrashed by Paris Saint-Germain 8-2 on aggregate in the Champions League last-16.
Moreover, Rosenior’s side are currently sixth in the Premier League table with 48 points from 30 matches, sitting three points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, having displayed inconsistent performances this season, Chelsea are seemingly planning to invest more money this summer to turn the situation around next campaign.
Caught Offside claim that Chelsea are considering signing a new midfielder as Enzo Fernandez could leave at the end of this season. They are prioritising signing Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, but Manchester United and Manchester City are also in this race.
Smit to Chelsea
Moreover, Vitor Pereira’s side might demand more than £100m to let him leave, with his existing deal set to run until 2029. So, Chelsea have lined up Smit as a potential alternative option.
The 20-year-old is valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt and is set to enter the final two years of his current contract. So, AZ Alkmaar could be open to cashing-in on him this year to make the most profit out of his departure.
The Dutchman is a technically gifted right-footed midfielder. He likes to be deployed in a double midfield pivot role but is also efficient in the box-to-box position in a midfield three. Furthermore, he can provide cover in the CAM role if needed.
Smit has shown glimpses of his qualities this season, making 11 goal contributions in 39 appearances across all competitions. He is a highly talented player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Chelsea should they eventually manage to secure his service during the offseason.
