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Newcastle United are rekindling their long-standing interest in Netherlands midfielder Kees Smit as they prepare for Sandro Tonali’s departure, with Tottenham poised to make an improved offer for the Italian after having their opening £75m bid rejected.
Eddie Howe’s recruitment staff have been working through a number of options to strengthen their midfield and AZ Alkmaar’s Smit is one they admire greatly.
Competition has been fierce for the 20-year-old but, after Smit missed out on a place in Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands World Cup squad, Newcastle hope they can tempt him with the prospect of regular first-team football in the Premier League.
Newcastle’s Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali is wanted by Tottenham but Arsenal and Manchester City are lurking
Newcastle have identified 20-year-old AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit (right) as a possible replacement for Tonali
Tottenham’s initial £75m bid for Tonali was turned down over the weekend by Newcastle but Roberto De Zerbi’s club are expected to return with a larger offer as they try to get their transfer business done early, knowing hesitancy in the market has cost them over previous windows.
The Italy international Tonali, 26, is open to joining up with De Zerbi but Arsenal are understood to be his preference should they firm up their interest, perhaps once a fee is agreed with Spurs, while Manchester City are also watching developments.
City are negotiating a British record fee for Nottingham Forest’s 23-year-old Elliot Anderson, away on World Cup duty with England, but could buy Tonali too with Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez looking to leave having failed to nail down a midfield spot at the Etihad.
There is a possibility City could sell Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, 27, too after just one season at the Etihad, with Atletico Madrid interested.
Long-serving City midfielder Rodri, 30, has been offered a new contract – he has one year left on his existing deal – but has yet to agree terms.
Smit has interest from all of Europe’s top clubs and would be valued over £60m.
He is an all-round midfielder and was recently voted Conference League Revelation of the Season, but in truth has been on the radar of top clubs for the past three years with his performances for AZ and Netherlands youth sides.
