Sports
Man Utd join race to sign “superb” Kees Smit who “everyone is watching”
Manchester United are now racing to sign a “superb” midfielder alongside several Premier League rivals, according to reports.
Man Utd targeting key midfield upgrade
In the summer, INEOS rightly focused on Man United’s frontline. In came Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha as the Red Devils splashed out around £200m. Now, with that problem solved, the minority owners must address Ruben Amorim‘s midfield when 2026 arrives.
The Man United boss has been forced to play Lisandro Martinez at the base of his midfield in recent weeks amid Bruno Fernandes’ injury and Bryan Mbeumo’s participation in AFCON which has forced a reshuffle.
Outside of the central defender, Amorim only has an ageing Casemiro, an out-of-favour Kobbie Mainoo and an untrusted Manuel Ugarte to turn towards unless he picks from the academy. In pursuit of Champions League football, that’s simply not strong enough.
It’s, therefore, no surprise that Man United have made Adam Wharton one of their top targets in 2026. Alongside Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, the Crystal Palace man is top of their list of options to revive Amorim’s midfield.
Other options that have been mentioned in recent weeks includes Ruben Neves. The Al-Hilal midfielder has opted against renewing his contract in Saudi Arabia and is reportedly eyeing a return to the Premier League amid interest from Old Trafford.
If the Portugal international lowers his wage demands then Man United could be perfectly placed to secure his signature as early as next month.
What’s more, according to TeamTalk, Man United are also racing to sign Kees Smit from AZ Alkmaar in a deal that would hand them an alternative to Wharton.
Man Utd racing to sign “superb” Smit
The 19-year-old is one of the brightest prospects in Europe and has attracted interest from Man United, Liverpool, Manchester City and several others as a result. As upgrades go, he would instantly take Ugarte and Casemiro’s place at the heart of United’s midfield whilst also potentially ending Mainoo’s Old Trafford career.
One scout told TeamTalk that the Dutchman is a player that “everyone is watching” ahead of 2026 as one of the most hectic transfer battles begins to form.
“He is a very clever footballer, many clubs actually thought they had spotted a player that others might not be aware of but it has become apparent in recent months that everyone is watching him.
“He is a genuine talent, when you think of an Adam Wharton in England – this is the Dutch version of that. “He is probably the best Dutch midfield prospect since Frenkie De Jong, and he hasn’t done bad, has he? He really is superb and is someone everyone will be talking about this summer.”
Worth around £65m, all signs are pointing towards a top talent and one that INEOS should go all out to sign if they miss out on Wharton next summer.
