Sometimes the data spots them before the headlines do, and Kees Smit was one of those. He was actually the first player I stumbled upon when doing one of these profiles but I decided to do a profile on a realistic Newcastle United signing instead.
However, fresh off being named Player of the Tournament at the U19 European Championships, I can’t ignore him any further.
The crazy thing about Smit is that he only made his senior debut in November: a Europa League game against Fenerbahçe where he announced himself with a goal and an assist – debuts don’t get much better than that really.
Since breaking into the AZ Alkmaar first team, he has continued to impress, both in the Eredivisie and the Europa League. He’s already being linked with a move to Ajax, with even bigger clubs rumoured to be circling.
This isn’t a “Newcastle United should sign him” piece, but it is a “you need to know who he is” piece. If the numbers, and the eye test are to go by, Kees Smit has a very big future ahead of him indeed.
🎯 Final third conductor
It is somewhat astounding that Smit has only racked up a single goal and two assists in the 1100 senior minutes he has played. His expected assists+goals (xAG) is in the top 10% of his positional peers in the next 14 leagues, and he’s in the top 5% for key passes i.e., he’s creating chances, constantly
He ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating actions, essentially activity that leads to a shot being taken. He is in the 98th percentile for touches in the attacking third and 99th for touches in the penalty area. He’s no sideways passer, he is always trying to make things happen.
🪡 Threading the needle
Who doesn’t love seeing a wonderfully threaded through ball laying it on a plate for the striker? Well Smit is a connoisseur of the art, in the 94th percentile for volume of through balls played. If you’re a striker who loves playing off the shoulder (Isak, Haaland, Sesko) then you’d love being fed by Smit.
🚀 Carries and progression
He ranks 91st percentile for progressive carries, 91st for carries into the final third and 97th for carries into the penalty area. So not only is he threading beautiful passes for his teammates, he’s also driving forward with the ball with intent.
Pair this with 85th percentile for progressive passes received and 89th percentile passes into the box and you get the picture: Smit constantly wants the ball and knows what to do with it.
🛡️ Defensive bite with attacking instincts
One area where younger players tend to struggle early on in their development is in the physical side of the game. While Smit isn’t a destroyer, he’s putting in the work.
64th percentile for tackles, 66th for tackles won, and 97th for attacking third tackles. This last one is a real indicator of where his instincts lie: he loves to press, hassle and harry high up the pitch. He’s no passenger.
He’s not aerially dominant (2nd percentile) and not a natural interceptor (5th percentile) but he presses with intent, and his solid ball recovery rate (60th percentile) suggests a player with decent awareness.
👁️ The eye test
The kid just oozes class. Capable of dribbling off of either feet, sturdy, composed in tight spaces, positionally aware, capable of picking pockets between the lines, and high quality decision making for someone so young. He’s a tempo-setter set for a breakout season in the Eredivisie
⚙️ The Smit fit
Even though I said this piece isn’t about signing him for Newcastle United, he would be a great fit if we didn’t already have our own midfield dynamo Lewis Miley waiting in the wings.
Smit looks to have all the traits to be a quality all round box-to-box midfielder. He has the passing arsenal, the technique, the vision and the output. The foundations are there, let’s see if he can build on it next season.
🔥 Verdict: Remember the name
1100 of senior football. Europa League experience. Player of the Tournament at U19 Euros. Already linked with Ajax. Any scouts building a shortlist of breakout midfielders for the next 12-18 must have Kees Smit on it.
