Kees Smit: Jorge Mendes’ involvement could help Man United stun Real Madrid

Europe’s biggest clubs were circling Leny Yoro , who is currently at Manchester United , after his breakout season with Lille. The French youngster was labelled as the “Kylian Mbappe of defenders”.

In the summer of 2024, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool were all keen on signing Yoro . Los Blancos, in particular, seemed to be in pole position. However, United stunned many by reaching an agreement with Lille to sign the then teenage sensation for a fee of €62 million.

In September 2024, The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming Yoro’s transfer to Old Trafford created tension between the La Liga giants and super agent Jorge Mendes, who played an instrumental role in the move.

Now, figures at Real fear that Mendes could thwart their pursuit of another immensely talented player.

It has been widely reported that Manchester United are keen on signing Kees Smit from AZ Alkmaar.

The 19-year-old midfielder, who is thought to be valued at around £52m (€60m), has drawn comparisons to Frenkie de Jong, owing to his incisive passing and ability to dictate the tempo of the game.

The Dutchman has been billed as a cheaper alternative to United’s primary midfield targets Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are pushing to sign Smit, with Xabi Alonso determined to reinforce his midfield.

According to Defensa Central , Real are aware they will have to negotiate with Mendes in the race for Kees Smit .

Mendes has allegedly been approached by Alkmaar to handle negotiations with Smit ‘s suitors.

The Spanish outlet suggest that Mendes’ involvement is “bad news” for the Spanish outfit, as the Portuguese agent is expected to prioritise money over the sporting merit of a project.

Given how the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler, and Franco Mastantuono have all failed to live up to expectations due to poor squad planning at Santiago Bernabeu, Real might struggle to convince Smit even if they decide to offer him a lucrative contract.

Featured image Daniel Jayo via Getty Images

online polls

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social