Overview
- Christian Falk reports Arsenal are currently closer than Bayern Munich to signing the 20-year-old, with Liverpool and Real Madrid also named as nearer contenders than Bayern.
- CaughtOffside adds that Manchester United have previously made initial contacts as interest grows across Europe.
- Fichajes, via CaughtOffside, claims Real Madrid lodged a €50m proposal, while AZ are holding out for about €60m, and no formal bid has been publicly confirmed.
- Chelsea are reported to be entering a direct fight with Real Madrid and are willing to push financially to land the player.
- Smit is widely described as a mature, box-to-box midfielder and a key figure for AZ, with Barcelona among the other clubs linked.