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After a six-year absence, Isco returns to Spain's national team but his children are more thrilled about him meeting teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

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• Isco returns to Spain's national team after a six-year
• His kids are excited about him meeting Yamal
• La Roja face France in Nations League semi-finals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Betis midfielder Isco has been recalled to the Spanish national team for the Nations League semi-finals, marking his first appearance since 2019.

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  The Malaga-born midfielder's return comes after a challenging period marked by injuries and surgeries. His resilience and passion for football have been pivotal in his comeback. Now, as he rejoins a rejuvenated Spanish squad blending seasoned players with emerging talents, Isco aims to contribute to Spain's pursuit of Nations League glory.

• WHAT ISCO SAID

  Despite his personal excitement, Isco shared that his children are more enthusiastic about him meeting Barcelona's 17-year-old prodigy Yamal, than his own return to La Roja.
  “My younger kids have never seen me play for Spain. My oldest has, but they’re more excited that I’m going to see Lamine than about me being back with La Roja,” Isco revealed with a laugh.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Spain is set to face France in the Nations League semiseinals. Isco's experience and creativity could be instrumental as La Roja seeks to clinch another international title. Meanwhile, the presence of young talents like Yamal symbolises the promising future of Spanish football.

On a sunny Saturday lunchtime in Nottingham, Manchester City were defeated 1-0 by Nottingham Forest in a huge game in the race for a Champions League spot.

The reigning Premier League champions never really had an opportunity to win the game, although they may well have been happy with a point given how well Forest have played this season.

Unfortunately for City, they could not hold on, with Callum Hudson-Odoi the man who scored the only goal of the game for Forest. Morgan Gibbs-White played a sublime ball over the top, switching the play over to the former Chelsea winger. He drove into the City penalty box, slotting home at the near post for 1-0.

It was a disappointing performance from City, who, as per Sofascore, dominated possession, with 69% of the ball, and also had more shots than Forest, with 14 compared to the home side’s nine. However, Guaridola’s side managed just three on target.

The result leaves City scrambling for a top four finish, and the unthinkable might happen; they might not qualify for the Champions League. Guardiola said at full-time that they have “ten finals from now on” to reach Europe’s elite club competition.

It was a tough day for the Citizens, with goalkeeper Ederson one of the players who could be particularly disappointed.

Ederson’s performance vs. Forest

It was very much a mixed bag of a day for City’s first-choice goalkeeper Ederson. He made some fantastic saves, particularly one just past the hour mark. However, he certainly could have dealt with the winning goal better.

The impressive save he made, in the 66th minute, was a brilliant stop to deny eventual goalscorer Hudson-Odoi. The Forest number 14 cut inside on his right foot, and sent a curling effort towards the City goal.

Ederson made a superb save, tipping the shot onto the left post with an outstretched hand to keep it at 0-0.

However, he did not exactly cover himself in glory for the goal. Hudson-Odoi drove at Josko Gvardiol after picking up the ball from Gibbs-White, and went on the outside on his stronger foot.

His shot, which took a slight deflection off Gvardiol, beat Ederson at the near post, a chance he probably should have saved.

Chalkboard

In a season which has been tough at times for Ederson, conceding like that in a crucial match was far from ideal. However, he was not the only City player who struggled at the City Ground on Saturday.

One Man City star who could be finished under Pep

As disappointing as Ederson was at the City Ground, he was perhaps not as bad as Matheus Nunes. The Portugal international, who played at right back, struggled against Hudson-Odoi, who was sensational and relentless when driving at the City defence.

Manchester Evening News journalist Simon Bajkowski gave Nunes a 5/10 rating for his performance. The chief Manchester City writer said he ‘gave away a few needless corners’, although was full of praise for the fact he ‘battled on through injury’.

In terms of Nunes’ stats from the game, they were somewhat underwhelming. The midfielder-turned-defender had 58 touches and completed 88% of his passes. Defensively he struggled, winning one out of three tackles and one out of six ground duels.

Right-back has been a slight issue for Guardiola this season. Kyle Walker looked a shadow of his former self, and has now left the club on loan. Rico Lewis is talented but still inexperienced, hence why he has turned to Nunes at times to play right-back.

With another disappointing performance from Nunes, it does seem like City might have to try and add depth at right-back, to give him some support. Well, they were linked with Andrea Cambiaso recently, and he can play both sides at full-back.

Whatever Nunes’ future holds, perhaps his days at right-back are numbered. He is a talented player, but has been exposed there at times, including by Manchester United star Amad in the Manchester Derby in December.

How long Guardiola perseveres with Nunes at right-back remains to be seen, but with “ten finals” left this season, it could be a bold call whichever way he decides to go.

Outclassed by Gibbs-White: Pep must now finally axe 5/10 Man City star

Man City were beaten by Forest in a huge game

By
Joe Nuttall

Mar 8, 2025

The USMNT legend sat down with GOAL at TST 2025 to discuss Pulisic's Gold Cup absence and more

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• Altidore speaks exclusively about the USMNT
• Gives opinion on Pulisic's Gold Cup absence
• Shares excitement for next calendar year of soccer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  CARY, N.C. – U.S. men's national team legend Jozy Altidore said he has no issue with Christian Pulisic requesting not to be a part of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster. Rather, the 35-year-old is excited to see the group that there for the tournament, ahead of what he describes as a "massive opportunity" for the national team program.

  Speaking at The Soccer Tournament 2025, where he is coaching AFC Bournemouth, Altidore reflected on the AC Milan star’s absence and what it could mean for the USMNT heading into the continental competition.

  "Listen, this is an opportunity for the team," Altidore told GOAL. "No one player replaces Christian, and if he needed the time off, he needed the time off. This is a chance for the group to come together and really step up with some big absences."

  Altidore also shared his excitement about the next year of the footballing calendar for the country. Beginning in June 2025, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup will both be held in the U.S., and come next summer, the FIFA World Cup will follow in 2026, with matches played in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

  "It’s a massive opportunity for soccer in this country, and a chance at a real rebirth for the game here. I’m excited, fans are excited, and the players are excited," he said. "It’s a real opportunity and I’m looking forward to it."

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  The U.S. roster for the Gold Cup this summer will feature plenty of new faces, amid an injury crisis, along with a handful of regulars being unavailable. In addition to Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna are unavailable due to the Club World Cup, while teammate of Pulisic's, Yunus Musah, is absent due to "personal reasons."

  In the striker position, the U.S. is particularly going to be tested in the competition. Both Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun are missing out due to injury, and after a tough performance in the March Nations League, Josh Sargent was left out of the squad this summer.

  An area where Altidore excelled for the USMNT for over a decade, he believes it's a wide-open race at the moment – but with the group available for Mauricio Pochettino this summer, it's all about opportunity. MLS strikers Patrick Agyemang and Brian White are joined by uncapped 20-year-old prospect Damion Downs, Coventry's Haji Wright and FC Utrecht's Paxten Aaronson.

  "The striker position is an interesting one," Altidore said. "It’s hard and not easy to play. There is a group of talented guys there, and any one of them could emerge. I’m looking forward to seeing them all."

• WHAT ALTIDORE SAID ABOUT TST

  Altidore was offered the coaching role with Bournemouth at the 7v7 tournament in North Carolina, thanks to U.S. international Tyler Adams – who plays for the senior team in England – and co-owner Michael B. Jordan, via a personal training initiative they collaborated on.

  "The conversation stemmed from all of us at Sogility – a soccer tech training facility – and so Bournemouth was interested in partnering with businesses that are trying to push the envelope in soccer, and we started discussing how we could work together on this," Altidore explained. "There were some conversations with Michael's team, that's who I got in touch with originally, and he's getting more and more into soccer, so there was a lot of synergy there. Our groups are partnered on a couple of other ventures, so that just made a lot of sense."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The USMNT begins their June slate of matches with an international friendly against Turkey on Saturday as part of their preparation for the Gold Cup.

  Altidore, meanwhile, will look to lead Bournemouth out of the Group Stage at TST into the knockouts as they hunt for the $1M prize in the 7v7 competition.

Mikey Moore has set his sights on winning the European Championships with England's Under-19s after Tottenham's Europa League triumph.

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• Moore eyeing second trophy
• England looking for third success
• Winger has broken into Spurs first-team

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Moore played a role as Spurs ended 17 years of hurt by winning the Europa League in Bilbao, making five appearances throughout the competition and scoring in the 3-0 group stage win over Elfsborg. He did not play in the knockout rounds but earned a medal for his contributions.

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  Now, the winger, who is at the Under-19 European Championships with England, is targeting a second trophy of a hugely successful campaign. England have won the tournament twice before, in 2017 and 2022, and Moore hopes they can complete a delayed hat-trick this summer.

• WHAT MOORE SAID

  Moore told the PA, via the Independent: “It was a top experience [winning the Europa League] – some of the best times of my life on that Wednesday night.

  “Hopefully going on to win another medal and another trophy with these boys here would be a brilliant feeling, and experience for everyone.

  “There’s some top players. We think we can go on and hopefully win the tournament. It’s been a good little build-up but excited to get into the games now.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  England play Norway on Saturday in their first game of the tournament. Moore will be out to make a significant impression.

Over the last few years, Manchester City have let plenty of academy players leave who could have made a real name for themselves in the first team. Two of those players have actually scored against them this season, and are a couple of the more prominent examples.

The first was Morgan Rogers, now at Aston Villa. He has been sensational under Unai Emery in recent weeks, with one of his highlights a goal against Pep Guardiola’s side in December. He never got the chance to show what he could do in City’s first team.

The other player is Brahim Diaz. The Real Madrid and Morocco international was on the scoresheet at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season in the Champions League after impressing for Los Blancos over the past 18 months in particular.

However, perhaps the most famous example in recent seasons is Cole Palmer.

Cole Palmer's staggering rise since leaving Man City

There might never be a more frustrating sale in City’s recent history than that of Palmer. He joined Chelsea in the summer of 2023 for a fee of £42.5m, which has proven to be a bargain for the West Londoners.

Palmer has played 78 times for the club, scoring 39 times and grabbing 21 assists. One of those goals also came against City, in November 2023.

The England international scored a last-minute penalty to earn Chelsea a point, in a game that ended as an extraordinary 4-4 draw.

There is certainly an argument to be said that City never really gave Palmer the chances he deserved for his boyhood club.

He only played 41 times across four full seasons, and his 1,483 minutes for the club only equated to 16 full 90-minute games.

Although his form has been shaky of late – not scoring or assisting across his last ten matches – City must surely regret losing Palmer, who was a treble-winner with Guardiola’s side in 2022/23, his final season at the club. His overall impact at Chelsea has been second to none.

Incredibly, there was arguably an even more talented player than the Wythenshawe-born superstar in his age group.

The Man City academy star who was ahead of Palmer

City can boast a lot of academy talent who have gone on to do great things in professional football, either in the famous Sky Blue shirt or elsewhere.

Sadly, things haven’t quite worked out yet for Ben Knight.

The versatile attacker enjoyed several years in City’s academy and was part of a group filled with “exceptional talents”, as football talent scout Jacek Kulig described their U23s side back in 2021.

The Cambridge-born attacker left City in the summer, joining Spanish outfit Real Murcia on a free transfer. However, after playing just five times, he has since left the club and is now available on a free contract.

Knight represented City across age-group sides for several seasons. He arguably played his best football for their U21s, where he scored ten times and grabbed eight assists in 46 games, showing his versatility as an attacker, too. The former City academy star played right across the forward line.

The attacker played 16 minutes for City’s first team, with his sole appearance coming against Leicester City in the Community Shield in 2021. That was also the final time he was involved in the same matchday squad as Palmer.

The City academy pair played 30 games together in total for City’s academy and England youth sides. Perhaps surprisingly, they never managed to combine for a goal, despite their threat in attack.

While they were in the same age group, it was actually Knight who made his U21s bow first, appearing as a 16-year-old in a Premier League 2 clash in September 2019. Palmer didn’t make his Premier League 2 debut until a year later, aged 17.

Unlike Palmer, things haven’t really worked out for Knight so far since leaving the Etihad Stadium. He has previously impressed on a loan spell with Crewe Alexandra – involved in four goals in ten games – and he will be hoping to reignite that form at his next club and get his career back on track.

Best signing since Haaland: Pep hit the jackpot on Man City's “elite" star

Manchester City have made their best signing since Haaland with this “elite talent”

By
Connor Holden

Mar 21, 2025

Al-Nassr are looking to provide Cristiano Ronaldo with reinforcements by bringing in new players this summer, including a Bayern Munich defender.

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• Al-Nassr target Bayern star
• Defender open to Saudi switch
• CR7 wants reinforcements in trophy hunt

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo once again failed to claim silverware with Al-Nassr in 2024-25, leading to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner seriously considering his future. But with reports now saying he is likely to stay, the Saudi Pro League side want to armour him with some of the world's best players, including Bayern Munich defender Kim-Min jae.

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  Bayern have just bolstered their backline with the signing of Jonathan Tah from rivals Bayer Leverkusen, meaning their is room for Vincent Kompany to sell any unwanted talent. Kim played a lot of minutes for the Bavarians last season but is seemingly open to making the switch to the Middle East.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kim is contracted to Bayern until 2028, but with the German champions having acquired Tah for free already, they may be willing to offload the South Korean international for cheaper. Al-Nassr had a hard time preventing late goals in their most recent campaign, and Ronaldo may feel Kim's signing could pplug the hole in their defence.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While there is no official movement from Saudi yet, Al-Nassr have reportedly laid the foundations to sign Kim. He is believed to be open to a new challenge after facing some criticism during his time in Germany.

One of the biggest stories in the footballing world over the past 24 hours comes from Liverpool. It seems that Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave the club upon the expiration of his contract in the summer.

The news has been broken by multiple sources, but perhaps the most reputable one is David Ornstein, who says that Real Madrid are ‘working to close’ the transfer for the England international.

He has made 349 appearances for the club so far, scoring 22 times, grabbing 87 assists and winning countless trophies. He is a modern-day legend at Anfield in every sense of the word.

Losing a talent like Alexander-Arnold would be a blow for Liverpool, but they are in the market for someone who is arguably an even bigger talent.

Liverpool chasing a bigger talent than Alexander-Arnold

Every now and then, a gem of a talent emerges in world football, and that player instantly becomes a target for Europe’s biggest clubs.

Alexander-Arnold certainly knows that feeling now, but how can FSG, the Reds’ owners soften the blow of losing such a highly-rated homegrown talent?

Well, by signing Jorrel Hato, of course, who seems set to leave Ajax this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Dutchman isn’t a right-back but can fill in at centre-back or on the left. According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Reds have ‘shown interest’ in signing the Dutchman in recent weeks and have ‘long identified him as a top target for the summer of 2025’. That comes after the Reds looked at making a bid for the Dutchman back in January.

However, they will face stiff competition from Arsenal to sign the youngster. Fellow Premier League side Chelsea, Serie A giants AC Milan, and Los Blancos are also interested.

The 19-year-old could cost Liverpool upwards of £38m. That is an increase in their asking price from previous transfer windows when they are said to have wanted just £25m.

Why Hato would be a good signing

There are arguably few young players in world football as exciting as Hato. He has become a key player for Ajax in the past 12 months particularly and has already captained the Dutch giants, a testament to his leadership qualities at a young age.

Described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig as a “magnificent talent”, he has played a key role at left-back this season for the Dutch outfit, featuring 42 times for his boyhood club this term, scoring three goals and grabbing six assists from left-back.

His athleticism and reading of the game are second to none, and he has bags of technical ability, which helps him bring the ball out from the back. The video below showcases those things perfectly.

One interesting thing to look at is Alexander-Arnold’s stats at the age of 18, too. Now, it is worth pointing out that Hato has only just turned 19.

At the same age in 2017/18, the Liverpool number 66 played 34 games, scoring three goals, including one against Swansea City, and grabbed two assists.

The pair can also be compared statistically. Assessing the stats, via Sofascore, for Hato in the Dutch top flight so far this season, he completes 47.5 passes and attempts an average of 2.3 tackles per 90 minutes.

In comparison, the Liverpool defender back in 2017/18 was not quite as high with some of his key metrics, completing just 44.5 passes and attempting just 2.1 tackles per game.

There is no doubt that Hato is an incredibly talented young player, shown in the fact that Liverpool and other top clubs want to sign him. In fact, he has even been described as “one of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe” by Kulig in a separate post on social media.

As a result, there is certainly a strong case to be made that he is a more talented player than Alexander-Arnold was at the same age.

If the Reds are to bring him in this summer, it will be an excellent piece of business, and they would be signing an elite talent.

Klopp signed "the next Trent", now he may never play for Liverpool again

Liverpool will need to sign a new right-back this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 26, 2025

Manchester City have endured somewhat of a disappointing campaign in 2024/25, with any hopes of retaining their Premier League title out of the window with just eight games remaining.

Pep Guardiola’s side only remain in the FA Cup, but will face an in-form Nottingham Forest side, who have recently beaten them, to have any chance of ending the season on a high.

A rebuild is desperately needed at the Etihad this summer, with groundwork being done in January after the arrivals of Abdukodir Khusanov, Victor Reis, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez.

However, if it is to continue this summer, the Spaniard will have to brutally part ways with numerous fan-favourites who have helped the club achieve the heights they have in recent years.

One of which could be set for a switch in the coming months, potentially cashing in at the right time and ending his eight-year stint in the Citizens’ first-team.

Real Madrid plot summer move for Manchester City star

According to Spanish outlet DefensaCentral, Real Madrid are keen on a summer move for City midfielder Bernardo Silva – a move that could kickstart any rebuild in Manchester.

The Portuguese international has been a regular in Guardiola’s side since his transfer from Monaco back in the summer of 2017, often being a dependable figure in their success.

However, with Bernardo turning 31 this summer and his deal expiring in 2026, it could provide the right time to part ways and allow for fresh blood at the Etihad.

The report states that the LaLiga giants are huge admirers of Silva and keen to make a move this window, but won’t pay over the odds given his age and contract scenario.

Whilst on the face of things, offloading a player who’s made 40 appearances this season may seem like a big call, the time has ultimately come for the next generation to stake their claim in the first-team.

Why City should look to sell Bernardo to Real Madrid this summer

There’s no denying that Silva has been a modern-day icon for City, racking up just shy of 400 appearances, and winning a total of 14 major trophies during his stint at the club.

However, despite his huge tally of outings this season, the midfielder, who’s valued at £46m by Football Transfers, has ultimately failed to match his usual high standards, with Guardiola needing to inject more energy into the heart of the side.

This summer could prove the last chance for the hierarchy to gain any money back on their investment, risking losing the “world-class” star, as labelled by Statman Dave, for nothing next January – with other clubs able to agree a pre-contract for his signature.

Gonzalez has already shown glimpses early on in his City career that he’s capable of being a key member for years to come, with a plethora of other young talent waiting in the wings.

Nico O’Reilly has demonstrated in recent weeks that he’s capable of stepping up to the plate, staking his claim for a regular starting role after notching two assists against Bournemouth – helping the club reach the next stage of the FA Cup.

Whilst the 20-year-old operated at left-back against the Cherries, he’s primarily a central midfielder, with Silva’s potential departure opening the door for him to thrive in his natural position.

As for James McAtee, he’s also waiting to get a consistent run in Guardiola’s side, only being restricted to substitute appearances within the Premier League this season.

However, the 22-year-old has still managed to notch two goals to date, showcasing he has the talent to become a regular should the Portuguese international depart in the coming months.

Whilst losing Silva would be a huge call, it’s one that is needed if the side are to return to the top of the English top division, needing new blood to take the side back to where they belong.

Investment from the hierarchy could help soften the blow, but it’s important that the manager hands the likes of O’Reilly and McAtee the opportunity to fulfil their potential at their boyhood outfit.

Pep may have just unearthed his new Raheem Sterling at Man City

Manchester City swatted a generally hopeless Leicester team aside 2-0 on Wednesday, but did Pep Guardiola find his new Raheem Sterling?

By
Ben Gray

Apr 3, 2025

Chelsea enlisted the help of clueless passers-by to announce their Premier League 2025-26 fixture schedule.

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• Chelsea helped by passers-by to announce fixtures
• Fans identified Man Utd as Real Madrid
• Blues face Crystal Palace in season opener

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The countdown to a new Premier League season is on as the league announced the fixtures for the 2025-26 campaign on Wednesday morning. Gameweek 1 kicks off on August 15 with reigning champions Liverpool facing Bournemouth at Anfield. The Blues will play their first match of the season against Crystal Palace on August 17. As the fixtures came out, the West London side hilariously took the help of clueless passers-by in the US to announce their schedule for the new season. Some of the fans made wild guesses about the names of the Blues' opponents. While one fan called Bournemouth's logo 'Mermaid', another fan called Manchester United, Real Madrid!

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  Chelsea have been handed a relatively easy start compared to the other giants of the English top flight, as they will face only one 'big side' side – Manchester United – in their first six league matches. Following their clash against Palace, the Blues are scheduled to take on West Ham, Fulham, Brentford and Brighton, as well as the Red Devils.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Enzo Maresca's side will be back in action in the Club World Cup on Friday as they take on Flamengo.

Netherlands’ teenager Kees Smit, who stole the show in the U-19 European Championship, is on Real Madrid’s radar.

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• Real Madrid accelerating to sign Kees Smit
• Smit has been an admirer of Los Blancos
• The 19-year-old was named U-19 Euros' MVP

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to a report by AS (via Mundo Deportivo), Real Madrid are edging closer to acquiring the services of AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, who was awarded the Most Valuable Player prize at the recently concluded U-19 Euros, in which the Netherlands were crowned champions.

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  Smit first came under Real’s radar back in 2023, when he impressed in a youth league where AZ defeated both Real and Barcelona. Last year, he was promoted to the senior team and featured in 31 games, recording two goals and two assists. Thanks to his performances in the Euros, where he scored four goals, there have been speculations of Ronald Koeman calling him up to the senior team in September.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Smit is an admirer of Los Blancos, and his picture wearing the orange kit last season went viral.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SMIT?

  Smit is contracted at AZ till 2028; however, if a move to Spain arises, he would have to think of it and make a decision on whether to join one of Europe’s biggest teams or continue his development in the Netherlands.