Change has been afoot at Tottenham during the off-season, and while more may be yet to come, progress has been made on the incoming transfer front at the north London club.
With new manager Ange Postecoglou having taken the reins at the start of July, Spurs fans have been quietly optimistic about the impact the Australian may be able to make. Added to that, one position that Spurs fans have been crying out for to be addressed has – at least in part – been dealt with.
Central defence has been a sore spot for Spurs fans in recent times, with fans unconvinced by the various options their club’s been putting out on the pitch.
Both Eric Dier and Davinson Sánchez have drawn criticism from supporters for their displays at the heart of Spurs’a defence, and while Cristian Romero has impressed and brought quality and assurance since joining in the summer of 2021 the World Cup winner has also seen his time at the club marked by injury and on-pitch disciplinary issues.
Van de Ven, at 22, offers an exciting prospect at the back for Spurs. A commanding presence at 1.93m tall, and renowned in the Bundesliga – he joins from Wolfsburg on a €50m deal – for his blistering pace, Van de Ven is also left-footed, which solves another problem Spurs had struggled to solve.
His preferred style of play also sounds like the ideal fit for the kind of relentless pressing game plan Postecoglou lives by, and is trying to instil at the club.
“I’m a centre-back, a tall guy, I think I have some speed, so I can play in a high line, offensive football, between the lines,” said Van de Ven upon his arrival at Spurs this week.
“I think I’m quite calm on the ball and hopefully I can help the team. I saw the way of playing from the new manager, from Ange, and I really love it, offensive football, exactly what I want.”
The first match of the new Premier League season may be upon us, but there could still be further movement in and out at Spurs before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
Harry Kane’s future remains up in the air, but with each day that passes staying put seems more likely for the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. But it’s in defence where another key move could still unfold.
Edmond Tapsoba had been linked to Spurs all summer, and while it appears the possibility of a move for the Bayer Leverkusen man may have diminished in recent weeks, further cover at centre-back is known to be a priority for Postecoglou.
The latest focus of attention for Tottenham is reported to be another young Dutch talent, Per Schurrs. The 23-year-old played in Serie A for Torino last season, having made the move from Ajax in the summer of 2022.
Like Van de Ven, Schurrs is a tall, mobile centre-back and the prospect of a young, dynamic pairing who can develop a defensive partnership in Postecoglou’s mould is sure to excite Spurs fans.
Spurs have been busy this summer, with James Maddison, Alejo Veliz, Guglielmo Vicario, Manor Solomon and Ashley Phillips all arriving as part of Postecoglou’s rebuild.
