Who is Micky van de Ven? The powerhouse centre-back to bolster Tottenham's backline

 

Two years ago, Micky van de Ven was plying his trade in the second tier of Dutch football with FC Volendam. They'd finished the previous season sixth and while the centre-back put in a series of solid shifts, he'd clearly done enough to convince Wolfsburg to make a move for the youngster. Even in his debut campaign in Germany, Van de Ven struggled for game time. Indeed, he made just five league appearances for the Wolves, with a hamstring injury further limiting his minutes. 

 

Sebastian Bornauw, Maxence Lacroix and John Brooks were all ahead of the 22-year-old in the pecking order, but the appointment of Niko Kovac last summer changed Van de Ven's fortunes for the better. Combined with Brooks' departure for Benfica, Van de Ven was presented with the chance to nail down a starting spot for Wolfsburg, an opportunity he grasped with both hands. 

 

Van de Ven started all but one league match for the Wolves in 2022/23, as Kovac utilised a 4-3-3 setup in the German outfit's eighth-placed finish. Wolfsburg also boasted the sixth best defensive record in the division, shipping 48 goals, with Van de Ven vital. His performances haven't gone unnoticed either, with Premier League side Tottenham monitoring the centre-back. 

 

Spurs are likely to bring in two new centre-backs before the transfer window closes next month. Van de Ven is expected to be one of those. The Netherlands U21 star fits the bill for the archetypal left-sided centre-back the north London side require ahead of the new season. While they may yet bring Clement Lenglet back from Barcelona after the Frenchman's loan deal expired, it's expected that Van de Ven would join to become one of their first choice centre-backs. 

 

In Ange Postecoglou's favoured 4-3-3 setup, he wants balance at the back, and Van de Ven would provide just that. Able to operate at both centre-back and left-back, the Wolfsburg man is a versatile performer in defence that would enable Postecoglou to tinker with his backline should the opportunity, or need, arise. Crucially, too, is that he fits the bill for the ideal centre-back to help build attacks from defence. 

 

Van de Ven finished top for both passes per game (50.5) and pass success rate (88.3%) of all Wolfsburg players in the Bundesliga last season. If Postecoglou's Celtic side is anything to go by, he wants calm and composed figures at the heart of the defence, and Van de Ven does match the Australian's demands. In addition, he is one who will look to carry the ball out from the back have developed a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'dribbling'. 

 

While his ball carrying ability may be showcased more when he does operate at left-back, the fact is Van de Ven is able to comfortably deal with pressure from opposition attackers to help get his team upfield, a trait that Spurs could certainly utilise. Of course, this does present a risk in itself. If Van de Ven looks to carry the ball forward from defence, and puts a foot wrong, this increases the likelihood of Spurs being caught out by opponents. 

And yet, Van de Ven has the recovery pace to mop up at the back should he be caught short in a key area of the pitch. You will have seen the video of Van de Ven exhibiting his speed by now, right? Wolfsburg were 2-1 down at Union Berlin in the DFB-Pokal and pressing for a late equaliser. All 11 players were thrown upfield for a late corner, but the ball broke nicely for Union Berlin. 

 

With just seconds left on the clock, the Wolfsburg players would have been forgiven for downing tools and allowed the capital side a late third to wrap up the victory. Not Van de Ven, however. No, the Dutchman charged the length of the pitch and made a superb last-ditch block to deny Jerome Roussillon. His speed isn't an unknown strength of his. The official Bundesliga site recorded Van de Ven as the quickest defender in the division last season, and this determination and pace has drawn comparisons with compatriot and Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk. Unsurprisingly, the Reds have been linked with a move for the up and coming star defender. 

 

The willingness to put his body on the line is another reason why he has drawn admirers. This was evident in the aforementioned DFB-Pokal defeat to Union Berlin, while Van de Ven blocked more shots (25) than any other player aged 25 and under in Germany's top tier last term. This inclination to throw his body between the ball and the goal helped win over Wolfsburg fans, who'll undoubtedly be sad to see him depart. 


 

 

 

That being said, for all of his strenghts, Van de Ven still has issues that need to be ironed out, notably when it comes to challenging opponents in the air. Despite standing a shade over 6ft 3in, one of Van de Ven's WhoScored weaknesses happens to be aerial duels, and for good reason. An aerial success rate of just 52.2% for a centre-back of his size is, for want of a better word, poor. 

 

It's a shortcoming that would be capitalised upon in the Premier League and needs to be ironed out sooner rather than later if he is to really establish himself among the best centre-backs in the game. 

 

Nevertheless, Van de Ven is still young. There is plenty of time on his side to turn this weakness into a strength, and fully utilise his stature. He has all the attributes to succeed in English football, and if Spurs do get this deal over the line, then they'll have a strong, quick left-footed centre-back with a very high ceiling on the books.

Who is Micky van de Ven? The powerhouse centre-back to bolster Tottenham's backline