Tottenham Hotspur are on the hunt for a central defender this summer and have their eye on Micky van de Ven, but Wolfsburger Allgemeine (h/t Express) says their pursuit of the 22-year-old has hit a stumbling block due to his asking price. Spurs conceded 63 goals in the Premier League last season and new manager Ange Postecoglou has inherited a defence that desperately needs upgrading.
Despite having Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga at his disposal in 2022/23, Antonio Conte mostly used Romero and Dier at centre-back before his departure. Rodon was loaned out to France, Sanchez struggled for form and playing time, and Tanganga barely played at all, so Tottenham could do with a tried and tested alternative.
Van de Ven joined Vfl Wolfsburg from FC Volendam in 2021 and has gone on to make 41 appearances in all competitions. The Netherlands U21 international wasn’t a regular in his first campaign at the Volkswagen Arena but featured 36 times last season. Wolfsburg have him tied down until 2027, however, so they hold all the cards in negotiations. Tottenham aren’t willing to budge on price, so they face a battle to get a deal over the line.
According to Wolfsburger Allgemeine, Wolfsburg are requesting £40m and have no problem keeping the 23-year-old in Germany if Tottenham won’t meet their demands. Spurs aren’t even close to matching the valuation, so Van de Ven won’t be coming to North London. That being said, he’s said to be open to the move as he deemed the Premier League a dream, but Tottenham need to put in an improved offer.
Tottenham might have to let one or two existing players leave if they’re to bring in another, however, as they could end up with a bloated squad. Player sales will also help generate money, so time will tell if Postecoglou can trim the squad and reinvest.
