Real Madrid News
Liverpool enter race to sign 19-year-old Real Madrid midfield target – report
In recent months, Real Madrid chief scout Juni Calafat has been following Kees Smit with great interest.
The young midfielder has been delivering very positive performances for AZ Alkmaar and the Netherlands youth national team, attracting interest from the Merengues.
However, competition for his services seems to be heating up, with reports earlier this month suggesting that Barcelona and Newcastle United also want the teenager.
Liverpool also pursuing Kees Smit
Now, according to Defensa Central, Premier League champions Liverpool are also now making a serious effort to sign Kees Smit.
The presence of his compatriot Arne Slot, who also has ties with AZ Alkmaar, at Anfield could prove to be a factor in favour of the Reds.
Real Madrid, for their part, did not expect the surge of interest in the Dutch talent, with the situation now forcing the Spanish club to act and decide whether they want the player or not.
For now, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and CEO Jose Angel Sanchez have requested further reports on the talented midfielder, but they understand that they will soon need to make a decision.
Smit, 19, burst onto the radar at Real Madrid after helping Netherlands win the UEFA U-19 European Championships earlier this year.
The youngster has continued to build on that breakthrough with impressive performances at AZ Alkmaar, with a big move away from the Eredivisie outfit on the horizon for him.
Reports recently suggested that a move for Smit could cost a little over €25 million – a figure that should not be a problem for Real Madrid. But with competition growing, they will need to act soon.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
