Rio Ferdinand is licking his lips at the idea of Manchester United signing one midfield talent, but it might not be the right time for Ineos to roll the dice with the move.
Manchester United’s midfield will take centre stage for the summer transfer window, with a massive rebuild required ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League season.
Kobbie Mainoo’s role is locked in for the future of the Man Utd midfield area after the England star’s resurgence in form under Michael Carrick in the current campaign.
But United will lose Casemiro as a free agent in the summer and Manuel Ugarte has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford at the end of the season.
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Rio Ferdinand throws his full backing behind Netherlands midfielder Kees Smit ahead of Ineos’ Man Utd midfield rebuild
Rio Ferdinand is a big fan of Kees Smit and the Manchester United legend has been vocal about bringing the 20-year-old Dutch midfielder to Old Trafford in the summer.
Kees Smit has impressed in the Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar and the midfield talent was also capped at international level with the Netherlands back in March.
The Netherlands international is under contract with AZ Alkmaar until 2028, but the Dutch club have slapped a hefty £52m price tag to fend off rival interest in him.
Speaking on his podcast, Rio Ferdinand admitted that Smit would be one midfield target that he would sign for United alongside bringing other options to the club.
“Like I keep saying: the kid’s name, the boy, Smit, is unreal, the Dutch kid at AZ, [he] is the one,” he said on Rio Ferdinand Presents.
“If you haven’t seen him, guys, please just go and watch this kid, man. He’s a joke. Anyway, him, I’d go on to get [him], I’d go all out to get him.”
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Premier League experience for a midfielder is so important for Ineos ahead of Rio Ferdinand’s endorsement of Kees Smit
United face no easy task in landing Kees Smit, who has attracted interest from the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund.
The stakes are too high now for Ineos to roll the dice and invest in a long-term midfield talent amid Man Utd losing Casemiro at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Casemiro’s experience has been invaluable alongside Kobbie Mainoo and another established midfielder needs to pick up the torch the Brazilian will leave behind.
United’s strategy must be calculated to land the ‘right’ type of midfielder in the summer without suffering an immediate setback on their investment next season.
With the likes of Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton having Premier League experience under their belts, the risk is too high to test the waters with Smit.
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