Dutch midfielder Kees Smit has admitted his frustration at seeing his future stall during the summer transfer window. He still refuses to rule out leaving AZ Alkmaar, yet he won't close the door on another season there either.
The last few months have not gone as he hoped. A major blow came when he was left out of the Netherlands squad for the World Cup, robbing him of a place at the year's biggest tournament, the very stage he had hoped would launch him towards a bigger move.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea all tracked him closely throughout the season. That interest has yet to turn into a single official offer.
Smit handed the matter of his future to renowned agent Jorge Mendes. AZ Alkmaar's demands are the obstacle, with the Dutch club asking 70 million euros to let him go.
The player told Dutch network ESPN:
"I was expecting more than this at this stage. The truth is that I do not know where I will play. There is a possibility that I will leave, and there is also a possibility that I will stay, and that is the situation at the moment. There is nothing I can add on this matter."
According to the report, Real Madrid preferred other options to strengthen their midfield, while the rest of Europe's giants held off because of his hefty price tag and his World Cup absence.
PSV Eindhoven, meanwhile, are still keeping tabs on him. Smit is holding out for a big offer from outside the Netherlands, his dream being to make his name away from the Dutch league.