Starting pistol FIRED for £25m Liverpool transfer race

Liverpool are now in a race to sign one of Europe's most in-demand youngsters. The starting pistol has been fired.

Liverpool are always in the mix when one of the most talented young players might be available. Though, it’s never easy to sign them.

For one, you’ve got to see off virtually every other elite club. The money involved can spiral out of control and whoever is willing to take the bigger risk usually wins.

But you’ve also got to be able to play the player. If you lack room in your squad to give them minutes, what’s the point in signing them? Though, Chelsea would disagree quite strongly with that line of thinking.

One of the latest players to catch the eye across Europe is Kees Smit, currently with AZ Alkmaar. The teenager has had a breakthrough year, including a sensational run at the Under 19 Euros where he was named the best player and top scorer as the Netherlands won the competition.

It’s thought he’ll move on to a ‘bigger’ club before long, possibly in the new year. That has Liverpool looking at the situation and their hand may have been forced into a move.

Kees Smit race starts

Caughtoffside report that Manchester United have made contact over a move for Smit. They’ve been in contact with the player’s entourage to sound out a transfer and are apparently the only club to have taken this step as of right now.

But others will follow. The report also mentions Liverpool as a strongly-interested team, while the rest of Europe’s elite are at least monitoring the situation.

It sounds, however, that any team wanting to sign Smit will need to get talking. United have stolen a march of the rest and that will force everyone else to make a decision here.

For what it's worth, we’re not entirely sure Liverpool can guarantee Smit the kind of minutes he’d want. Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones are an impressive quartet in midfield and hold down the two deeper positions.

Would Smit actually find game time? We’re not certain on that. But it’s also worth pointing out that AZ want to sell in the summer, not January - and that could give Liverpool a boost.

Get a deal done with a view to the summer, leaving Smit in the Netherlands for a little while longer, could suit absolutely everyone. That might be the key to getting the teenager to Anfield.

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