Real Madrid’s strategy for finding talent often involves spotting promising players early on, and Kees Smit is starting to catch serious attention.

This midfielder from AZ Alkmaar has been making waves in the Netherlands, and now his progress is drawing interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid.

Rafael van der Vaart, who knows firsthand what it takes to make it at the Bernabeu, seems confident about Smit’s potential.

When Van der Vaart spoke on Ziggo Sport’s Rondo (via Mundo Deportivo), he didn’t hold back about the young player’s future.

“He’s truly a remarkable player.

We tend to throw around the word 'good' a lot, but with him, it’s genuine.

If he keeps developing at this pace, there’s little doubt he’ll land at Real Madrid or another top club, Real Madrid being the prime example in my mind.”

Still, Van der Vaart also stressed that talent alone won’t carry Smit all the way.

Handling the mental pressure will be just as crucial as his skills on the pitch. He elaborated,

“He needs to learn how to deal with everything that comes with this kind of spotlight, but from what I see, he remains quite grounded.

He doesn’t seem fazed by pressure, at least not visibly. Plus, he handles interviews well and comes across as quite composed.”

As for Real Madrid’s stance, Smit is definitely on their radar. The club sees him as one of Europe’s more promising midfielders, and they’re keeping a close eye on his development.

That said, he’s not considered an urgent target this summer, with other positions taking priority. This situation could open the door to competition from others.

Meanwhile, several Premier League clubs are tracking his progress, and Barcelona reportedly have shown interest too.

As interest mounts, so does the expected price. Any transfer is rumoured to require a hefty sum, with figures reportedly topping €50 million.

For now, Smit’s focus remains on growing at AZ Alkmaar. But if his upward trend continues, it’s likely only a matter of time before a major European club makes their move.

Ajax and Schalke are chasing Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice, with both clubs working to seal a deal for the 19-year-old, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Rangers just wrapped up a training camp in Spain, gearing up for a crucial five-game stretch to go for the league title after the split earlier this month. Their run-in starts with Motherwell at home on Sunday, then a massive trip to face league leaders Hearts at Tynecastle next weekend.

After that comes the season’s final Old Firm showdown against Celtic at Parkhead on May 10, before closing out with Hibernian and Falkirk, who are the lowest-ranked teams in the split, having finished fifth and sixth.

This summer looks set for big changes at Rangers, and Rice is right at the centre of it. Romano reported on X that both Ajax and Schalke want to sign Rice as a free agent. The young Scottish midfielder is out of contract this summer. Talks over a new deal with Rangers haven’t worked out, so he’s weighing up his next move. Schalke reportedly already made him a personal offer, and Premier League side Aston Villa had also been linked with him earlier this year.

Rice has barely featured for Rangers this season after suffering a serious training injury that needed surgery; he’s only played a handful of minutes.

As for the rest of the squad, Rangers look set for another overhaul. After a busy transfer window last summer and more signings in January, things don’t seem to be slowing down. Manager Rohl has made do with what he has, but the club’s owners, the 49ers, are ready to back a ‘major recruitment drive’ this summer. Their aim? Knock Celtic off the top and keep Hearts from breaking up the Old Firm grip on Scottish football.

Nobody knows just how many players could come in yet, but it’s clear the owners are serious about shaking things up at Ibrox.