Romano Confirms Club Has “Said No” To £52M Bids As Transfer Battle For In-Demand Man Utd Target Heats Up

BACK David Tully Dec 29th 2025 AZ Alkmaar have rejected proposals worth up to €60m (£52m) for Man Utd transfer target Kees Smit, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said AZ are unlikely to offload the Netherlands international during the January transfer window unless they receive a higher offer: “All the top clubs are interested. Real Madrid have been scouting the player, for sure. Clubs in England have been scouting the player, for sure. Top, top clubs in England. All the top clubs are scouting this boy. When you see, in the media, €45-50million for Kees Smit, what I can guarantee to you today is that AZ Alkmaar are absolutely not selling the player for €45-50million. Way more is needed to sell the player. Not in this January transfer window. Sources tell me that AZ have already received proposals for something around eventually €60million and AZ said no.” “So, for them, the player is worth way more than the reported €45-50million. The price is higher. So, for Kees Smit, there is a lot of interest, several clubs keen. In Spain, Real Madrid. In England, all the top clubs. There is a lot of attention on this boy, he’s going to join a top, top, top, top club for sure. At this stage, it’s still not a deal for the January transfer window.” Man Utd are just one of several clubs involved As Romano mentions, Real Madrid are also among the Dutchman’s suitors, but Newcastle, Chelsea, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund are reportedly in the mix as well. A lot will probably hinge on whether the Red Devils are prepared to spend over the odds to sign Smit, who has been compared to Pedri by his national team manager, Ronald Koeman. Smit is not the only midfielder being targeted If Ruben Amorim’s side do decide to invest heavily in the middle of the park, Smit is believed to be one of several candidates under consideration. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba are said to be right at the top of the shortlist, along with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. Want more news on Man Utd? Add Man U News as a preferred source on Google David Tully David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.