Arno Vermeulen fears Kees Smit could leave AZ for a fee of a few hundred thousand euros

Arno Vermeulen warns AZ not to be overly ambitious in transfer talks for Kees Smit, lest the Alkmaar club lose the highly rated midfielder on the cheap.

Smit is widely regarded as one of the world’s top talents in his position, so demand is high; reports link him with a move to Real Madrid.

AZ, which has the player under contract for another two years, hopes to secure a club-record fee should he depart. Vermeulen has already issued a warning.

“Whether it’s sixty, fifty or forty million: if AZ later puts a figure on the market via Jorge Mendes (the world-famous agent hired by AZ, ed.) and Kees Smit or his agent thinks that’s a bit high, they can easily get around it,” he says on Studio Voetbal.

“If AZ asks for too much, Smit could leave for as little as two hundred thousand euros under current legislation.” The NOS sports editor immediately clarifies that position.

Two years ago, European football saw the landmark Diarra ruling. The European court ruled in favour of the player. If Smit says, ‘I signed a new deal with AZ two years ago and I still have two years left, yet they want twenty, thirty, forty or fifty million for me’, he can simply approach the KNVB arbitration committee.”

“They have to follow European law. If he cannot leave—because the club demands an unfair or disproportionate fee—he can terminate his contract for a nominal sum of a few hundred thousand, five hundred thousand, or six hundred thousand,” concludes Vermeulen.

"He would have to pay a transfer fee to AZ and could then move freely to Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid or Barcelona," explained Merijn Zeeman, AZ's managing director, who also joined the talk show. "No, it’s not an issue at all."

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