Real Madrid's Creative Midfield Quest: Young Guns in the Summer Spotlight
4 February 2026
Real Madrid's Summer Midfield Plan
Real Madrid continues evaluating options to strengthen the midfield, with internal briefings highlighting premium young talents who show high playmaking potential.
Targets on the Radar
According to The Athletic, Adam Warton of Crystal Palace and Kees Smit of AZ Alkmaar are drawing strong praise within the Spanish club.
Although Madrid already has athletic energy in the squad, there remains a sense that the team lacks a creative engine capable of dictating tempo and unlocking defenses since the exits of Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos.
Former coach Xabi Alonso previously pressed for a central midfielder during the last summer window, and now there is a belief that a substantial midfield investment could finally materialize.
A number of established players, including Vitinha and Enzo Fernández, have impressed Madrid's hierarchy, yet their price tags remain prohibitive.
As a result, the club is exploring alternative options—young talents who can grow within the team.
Within this group, Adam Warton and Kees Smit have earned highly positive reports from Madrid's scouts.
Rumors suggest AZ Alkmaar would demand around 60 million euros for Smit, with the famous agent Jorge Mendes authorized to negotiate on his client's behalf.
T Talks about Smit and Warton were discussed internally last summer, but terms could not be reached at the time.
Since then, Madrid paused transfers, yet developments point to Smit as the preferred option over Warton for other top clubs, including Manchester United.
Punchline 1: If this plan lands, Madrid's passes will be so silky even the net will applaud from the stands.
Punchline 2: And if their name pronounces right, the midfield might just become the club's new favorite stand-up act.
