Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfield target set to cost more than €50 million – report
Real Madrid plan on signing a new midfielder in the summer of 2026, after having not strengthened the position in the last two summers, despite bidding goodbye to Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
Despite some feeling the need for the club to sign a proven, established star, Los Blancos will not move away from their strategy of investing in younger talents who can grow at the club.
In that regard, Kees Smit of AZ Alkmaar has been identified as a key target to strengthen the midfield department before next season.
Indeed, Real Madrid plan to extensively scout the 19-year-old Dutchman over the coming six months with the idea of moving for him come summer.
Kees Smit will not come cheap
Building on that, Matteo Moretto on MARCA reports that Smit is indeed very high on the list of players Real Madrid are looking at for next season.
However, any move for the Dutch midfield ace will not come cheap as he is expected to command a transfer fee of more than €50 million.
Moreover, there is set to be intense competition for the teenage star’s services as several teams from the Premier League as well as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also interested in the player.
So, there could be a major transfer war for Smit’s services in the summer, which could further drive up his transfer fee, as AZ will be keen on getting the most value for their prized asset, whose contract runs until 2028.
Despite his young age, the midfielder has become a first-team regular at AZ and was a key part of the Netherlands team that won the U19 European Championship last year.
So far this season, Smit has featured in 27 matches across all competitions for the Dutch outfit, scoring two and assisting five goals.
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.
