Kees Smit and AZ approaching agreement on contract extension

AZ and midfielder Smit nearing agreement on contract extension through mid-2030, after foreign interest failed to materialise.

AZ Alkmaar and 20-year-old midfielder Kees Smit are close to agreeing a contract extension through June 2030, up from his current deal expiring in 2028. Smit was expected to leave during the summer transfer window after the club engaged agent Jorge Mendes to explore foreign sales, but concrete interest from top European clubs did not materialise. The club told Smit in mid-August to shelve any transfer plans, after which contract negotiations entered a new phase. The deal is expected to be signed shortly.