Manchester United and Liverpool have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of Tottenham defensive mainstay Micky van de Ven.
Micky van de Ven might now be ready to commit his long-term future to Tottenham, with the club preparing formal contract talks to secure the Dutch defender on a fresh deal. According to TEAMtalk, Spurs are optimistic about the prospect, buoyed by a remarkable shift in circumstances under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi.
Earlier this year, Van de Ven had made it clear that he was not interested in discussing fresh terms and was targeting a move away from North London during the summer transfer window. His situation attracted attention from several top clubs, with Liverpool and Manchester United emerging as the most prominent admirers of the Netherlands international.
The Reds were looking at him as an ideal replacement for Ibrahima Konate, while the Red Devils saw him as an upgrade on the majority of their current options. With his pace and ball-playing ability, he could become one of the cornerstones of their new project under Michael Carrick.
How Spurs have changed Van de Ven’s stance?
De Zerbi’s arrival has dramatically changed the mood around the club. The Italian first guided Tottenham to Premier League survival before overseeing one of the club’s most ambitious transfer windows in recent memory. Spurs have already spent more than £225 million to strengthen the squad, bringing in Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, and Andy Robertson, while discussions continue over further additions.
The scale of that rebuild has convinced many within the club that Tottenham are ready to compete again, and it has altered Van de Ven’s thinking. Negotiations are already under way, with reports of positive early communication between Spurs and the defender’s representatives during the summer. Sources close to Spurs believe Van de Ven can now be persuaded to remain in North London.
Spurs have already experienced a similar success this summer. Pedro Porro was also uncertain about his long-term future before being convinced by De Zerbi’s project, eventually agreeing to a new contract. Spurs now hope Van de Ven will follow the same path.
Although the arrivals of Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi have strengthened the centre of defence, Tottenham continue to view Van de Ven as one of the cornerstones of the team amidst uncertainty around Cristian Romero‘s future.
His recovery pace, defensive awareness and composure on the ball make him one of the Premier League’s standout defenders, while the club believe he has the qualities to anchor their defence for years to come.
