Kees Smit NXGN GFXGetty/GOAL

Kees Smit: Why AZ Alkmaar's Kevin De Bruyne regen is on the transfer radar of nearly every top club in Europe

The Netherlands has often been described as 'the world's biggest football talent factory', having produced legends such as Marco van Basten, Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Dennis Bergkamp and Arjen Robben. These players were the embodiment of the 'total football' model designed to optimise creativity, skill and versatility that the Dutch national team still aims to uphold to this day, though it's fair to say they have been starved of game-changing performers of the same ilk in recent years.

However, according to Mundo Deportivo, that may be about to change. The Spanish newspaper has claimed that the next 'total footballer' to come out of the Netherlands is Kees Smit: the 19-year-old who has become an overnight sensation at AZ Alkmaar.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have all been linked with Smit in recent weeks, and AZ face a real fight to keep hold of the teenager beyond the 2025 summer transfer window. Voetbal International has even claimed that Ronald Koeman is considering drafting Smit into the Netherlands' senior squad later this year, which is a testament to how far he has come in such a short space of time.

Smit could soon get the chance to test himself on the biggest stage, and all the early signs suggest he will thrive under the pressure of expectation. The question is: what exactly is it that makes the AZ playmaker such a unique talent? GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the Oranje's potential new superstar...