Barcelona and Liverpool have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Tottenham star defender Micky van de Ven.
Tottenham Hotspur have reached a verbal agreement with Micky van de Ven over a new long-term contract, handing Barcelona and Liverpool a major blow in their pursuit of the Dutch defender.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs have agreed a new deal with van de Ven that will include a significant salary increase. The agreement follows a similar process to Pedro Porro’s renewal, with Tottenham making clear that the 25-year-old is key to their plans and was never available for transfer.
Ben Jacobs had previously reported that negotiations were progressing positively, with manager Roberto De Zerbi convincing van de Ven to commit his future to the North London club. The Dutchman’s priority has always been to extend his stay at Tottenham after the club secured Premier League survival, with talks accelerating in recent weeks.
Tottenham expect to finalise the deal this month, though the contract has not yet been formally signed. The expected renewal is particularly significant given the changes taking place in Spurs’ defence.
They have already strengthened their centre-back options by signing Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi, but club captain Cristian Romero is increasingly likely to leave this summer. His potential departure would leave Van de Ven as one of the most important defensive figures in De Zerbi’s squad.
The Dutch international’s extraordinary pace, recovery ability and composure have made him a cornerstone of Tottenham’s project, and the club have no intention of losing another key defender while rebuilding under their new manager.
Liverpool and Barcelona will have to look elsewhere
That stance represents a setback for Liverpool. The Reds had identified Van de Ven as a potential target following Ibrahima Konate’s departure and growing uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of captain Virgil van Dijk. His pace would have been a major asset for Liverpool as they reshape their backline.
Barcelona have also been linked with the Tottenham defender as they look for greater depth and quality in defence. Ronald Araujo’s inconsistent performances have raised questions over the position, while the Catalan giants did not sign a direct replacement for Inigo Martinez after his departure last summer.
With De Zerbi viewing him as a central figure in his plans and Spurs preparing to reward him with improved terms, the defender appears set to remain at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the foreseeable future.
