Tottenham have reportedly reached an agreement in principle with VfL Wolfsburg for defender Micky van de Ven.
Spurs are rebuilding under new manager Ange Postecoglou and have already signed the likes of James Maddison, Manor Solomon and Guglielmo Vicario, whilst turning Dejan Kulusevski’s loan from Juventus permanent. They have now switched their focus to signing a central defender or two before the summer window slams shut, and it now appears the north London outfit have made a breakthrough in getting one in at the club.
According to Sky Sports, Tottenham will pay a full package of £43.08m (£34.46m+add-ons) to Wolfsburg for the signing of Micky van de Ven. Once the deal is finalised, the centre-back will fly to the UK to do medical + complete the move on a long-term contract.
Van de Ven, 22, has been one of Wolfsburg’s top players and is now ready to take the next step in his career. The Netherlands under-21 international can play as a centre-back or at left-back and has made 41 appearances across two seasons for the Bundesliga outfit, registering a goal and three assists.
Micky van de Ven to Tottenham—A fantastic addition?
Ange Postecoglou wants to strengthen the defence before the transfer window slams shut and he has identified Micky van de Ven as a leading candidate to help solidify a Spurs defence that conceded 63 Premier League goals last season.
Having fought off rival interest from Liverpool, Van de Ven would mark a game-changing signing for Spurs, should the positive talks with Wolfsburg from earlier in the week transform into a palpable addition. Despite only enjoying his breakout year in European football last term, the Dutchman looks ready to compete in the Premier League.
Strong, athletic and extremely pacey with fine technical skills, Van de Ven will solidify the spine of Tottenham’s defence under Postecoglou. Due to him being left-footed, the 22-year-old will bring balance as well as complement Cristian Romero at the back. Despite standing at 6ft 4ins tall, he is quick through the ground and this will allow Postecoglou to play a high defensive line next season.
Moreover, the Wolfsburg star would be an instant upgrade on Clement Lenglet, who spent the last season in north London on loan from Barcelona. At 22, Van de Ven has the potential to develop into a top-class defender and solve one of Spurs’ biggest deficiencies in the squad. The Netherlands defender could become a big player for the north London club, with Postecoglou using his impressive attributes as the foundation for a brighter long-term association.
All in all, Tottenham signing Van de Ven for £43.08m represents an excellent long-term investment.