Tottenham Hotspur appear to be closing in on another excellent signing to enhance Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
The Dutch defender has been linked with a move to north London for some weeks, but a breakthrough appears to have occurred only yesterday.
Despite being a relative unknown, the 22-year-old van de Ven has recently been a stalwart for Wolfsburg. By luring the star away from Bundesliga, Tottenham may be able to replicate Manchester City’s success in acquiring Kevin De Bruyne from the German club.
Pep Guardiola has put himself into the history books as a record-breaking manager who has performed a feat only done once before in England, having won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in the same season.
The Belgian innovator, who has been a key component in the Etihad’s great success in recent years, was at the core of that achievement.
Last season, he had ten goals and 31 assists in all competitions, adding to his already extensive trophy collection. Since moving, the 32-year-old has won five Premier League crowns, two FA Cups, five EFL Cups, and the coveted European trophy.
It may seem impossible for anyone to equal such achievement, but Postecoglou will undoubtedly have lofty hopes of establishing his own dynasty in north London.
Van de Ven might provide the foundation for this success, as a defensive pillar with all the vital traits to hold down Postecoglou’s back line for the next decade.
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Last season in the Bundesliga, he had a 6.85 average rating, which was supported by his 88% pass accuracy, 70% dribbling success rate, 1.4 tackles, and 3.1 clearances per game, according to Sofascore.
In comparison, the latter figure would have placed him third among Spurs players in that category, with his pass completion ranking him joint third among those who have played more than five games.
However, it is not just his technical abilities that will enable him to thrive. His physical characteristics make him something of an outlier since he stands at 6 feet 4 and has pace.
Marcel Schäfer, Wolfsburg’s managing director for sport, sought to detail this: “Left foot, extreme speed, plays every second. Micky has performed consistently very well throughout the season. He’s a player with huge potential and this season in particular has shown incredible development, playing himself into the spotlight with his performances.”
The future looks bright for this young defender, and a move to England under a coach who can help him further his career would only strengthen the fine foundations of this potential star.
If he achieves half of De Bruyne’s success in Manchester since joining from Wolfsburg, he will be hailed a huge success in north London.
