Rio Ferdinand calls for Man United to sign one-cap Netherlands midfielder as Casemiro replacement

Rio Ferdinand has called for Manchester United to sign one of the brightest young stars in Europe to help replace Casemiro.

The Red Devils are gearing up for a major midfield revamp this summer, and have already earmarked a No.6 and a box-to-box profile.

Getty

Man United’s midfield transfer shortlist

United have been plotting to add at least two reinforcements, with Casemiro set to depart and Manuel Ugarte expected to be sold.

Interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba stretches back to last summer, with the club also among the many suitors for Adam Wharton.

talkSPORT revealed last month that Aurelien Tchouameni is one of the names on United’s radar, alongside Atalanta midfielder Ederson.

Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson remains United’s top target, but Ferdinand is also a huge fan of AZ Alkmaar prodigy Kees Smit.

The 20-year-old, who made his senior Netherlands debut in March, has scored five goals and registered 10 assists across all competitions.

Ferdinand wants Smit to join Man United

The Red Devils and England legend appeared on talkSPORT Breakfast to state that his old side have to replace Casemiro this summer.

“His ability, what he’s achieved, what he’s meant to the team, goals that he’s scored,” Ferdinand told Andy Goldstein and Gabby Agbonlahor.

“They’ve got to find a replacement for that. And I think you’ve got to go with someone immediately who’s tried and tested in the Premier League, [who] knows the terrain of the Premier League. And I think Anderson jumps off the page for me.

Getty

AFP

“I think he adds energy, legs, robustness and that Premier League experience, and I think he’s playing international football now.

“I think he’ll probably start in the England World Cup team for the first games and then see how that goes. But I think he’ll be a great addition.

“There’s a kid called Kees Smit who I absolutely love. He’s at Alkmaar.

“Not many people listening [to talkSPORT Breakfast] probably know him, but go and check this kid out. AZ Alkmaar.

“He’s a Dutch kid, midfielder. He wouldn’t be one I’d buy to go in and start immediately because he’s too young and inexperienced.

“But definitely I wouldn’t want to miss out on him because I think you need to get two or three in that area.”

Getty

Kees Smit transfer update

talkSPORT.com told you in December that Newcastle and Crystal Palace were in competition with Real Madrid to sign Smit.

The one-cap Netherlands international was profiled even further back in September as one of the stars to watch in Europe this season.

That came after Smit was named Player of the Tournament at last summer’s U19 European Championship, having helped his Netherlands side to glory while finishing as joint top scorer.

European football expert Andy Brassell ran the rule over the ‘Dutch Pedri’ earlier this year, who AZ are hoping to earn over £22million for.

That would eclipse the Eredivisie club’s record transfer sale, accrued when now-Man City star Tijjani Reijnders left for AC Milan in 2023.

Getty

Who is Kees Smit?

“People have been watching him for a long time because ever since he was 15, 16, a lot of elite European clubs have thought there’s a player here,” Brassell exclusively told talkSPORT.com in February.

“I think people have watched him developing in the last four or five years and thought, yeah, he’s on the sort of track that people hoped that he would be. He’s already a real leader.

“He’s someone who can handle himself physically, like he does the defensive side of the game well, he tackles well, but he’s not a massive guy physically.

“He can make his presence felt, but I think it’s more the fact that he can do that side of the game, but he’s mobile, he can dribble the ball up the pitch.

“He’s got an ever-developing range of passing, so he can really fulfil that box-to-box role, and for a lot of clubs who are looking for that sort of elite defensive midfielder, if you like.

“Someone who can play in a deeper position but still has the ability to break the lines with his dribbling and passing is worth their weight in gold.

“I don’t think people look for Patrick Vieira’s anymore as defensive midfielders. They tend to look for guys who can carry the ball 20-30 yards and then open the opposition up, and that’s exactly what Kees Smit is.

“What we’ve seen from the very beginning, he’s a problem solver as well, so he knows instinctively when to make the right decision.

“There’s this great video of him from when he starred for that RZ team in the UEFA Youth League, which they went on and won, which by the way, for a club of that size is an incredible effort to go and win the UEFA Youth League when you think of the millions pulled into academies of bigger clubs all over.

“He’s playing in this five-a-side tournament for RZ against Fulham, and he plays like a wall pass into the goal.

“People are looking at thinking, huh, you expect maybe Brazilians to come out with something like that, but he’s just always looking for a different way to do things, a different way to solve the problem.”

Newcastle have missed their chance

“I think you look at the interest that say Newcastle have had in him, which goes back a couple of windows,” Brassell continued.

“Now I think I’ve missed their chance. That moment has been and gone because now the clubs interested in him are Bayern [Munich] or Liverpool, or teams like that.

“So all of a sudden, it’s just completely exceeded probably their price range and of course, the fact that the player will have ideas about the next leap that he wants to take as well.

“Funnily enough, I think in a sporting sense Newcastle would be a really good fit for him – their midfield has been brilliant for a couple of years, but it’s looked quite worn out at various points of the season, even before we get to Bruno Guimarães injury [problems].

“The fact that [Sandro] Tonali has had dips in form, the fact that Joelinton has struggled to stay fit, and Jacob Ramsey, who I think is a great player, hasn’t quite settled yet as well.

“I think it would be every reason for them to go for a Kees Smit.

Getty

“On the other hand, I think when you look at what Liverpool have lacked this season, I think he’d fit in really, really well for them as well.

“And what you’ve got in what makes him so valuable, what makes clubs want to buy guys of his age bracket, is the fact you can still mould him a bit and he’s intelligent enough to respond to that sort of coaching.

“He’s not a guy who’s going to turn up and say right well, I have to play in this exact position, and this is how you’re gonna get the best of me.

“If you try him as a six, I think you’d be fine with that. You try him as an eight, I think you get even more interesting stuff out of him.

“So I guess the question whether he’s a Pedri or a Gavi is a really good question because at the moment he could be either of those.”