Former Netherlands defender Khalid Boulharouz has suggested that Micky van de Ven could be the ideal successor for Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool.
Speaking to ESPN, former Chelsea defender Khalid Boulharouz has urged Liverpool to raid Tottenham for 24-year-old star defender Micky van de Ven if they want a successor to Virgil van Dijk. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool decide to make a move for Spurs’ speedy centre-back in the future.
Boulharouz said, “I think he’s the ideal successor to Virgil van Dijk, both for the Dutch national team and Liverpool. The question is, of course, what Virgil will do after the World Cup. When you’ve been playing in the Premier League for years, your body has taken a beating. You might start longing to take it a bit easier.
“And Liverpool is not crazy: if you’re looking for a world-class left defender and you have enough money, you’ll quickly end up with Van de Ven. The same goes for the Dutch national team. I think Koeman has long since realised that Van Dijk’s successor is already there.”
There is no doubt that Micky van de Ven is a quality player, and he has proven himself in the Premier League. The Dutchman is still quite young, and he is likely to improve with coaching and experience. He has all the tools to develop into a world-class player.
Liverpool will need to replace Virgil van Dijk in the near future, and they need an elite defender to fill the void left by him. Signing his compatriot could prove to be a wise decision. However, Tottenham will not want to lose a key player like Micky van de Ven anytime soon.
Furthermore, they will not want to sell to a direct rival either. It will be interesting to see how the situation develops. The Tottenham defender could be attracted to the idea of joining a big club in future. The Netherlands international has done quite well for Tottenham, but they are not quite at the level required to win titles or the UEFA Champions League.
If Liverpool can provide him with that platform, the Tottenham defender could be tempted to join them. However, it will be an expensive acquisition. Liverpool will have to pay over the odds to sign the 24-year-old Dutchman from the North London club.
