Tudor will love him: The new Dembele is now Spurs’ most valuable player

The mere fact that Thomas Frank has been relieved of his duties has already lifted the mood at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Danish coach had drawn a lot of praise for his efforts at Brentford, leading them into the big time and seeing them thrive, but there’s no question that his tenure at Tottenham was a total disaster, sacked with the lowest win rate of any of the club’s permanent managers in the Premier League.

Tudor has his work cut out, for sure, but the 47-year-old has the managerial style and authoritative managerial voice to whip this beleaguered bunch into shape.

How Tudor will improve Spurs

If Tottenham are going to bounce back, Tudor will need his biggest players to rise to the occasion. Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro are among the senior stars who have flattered to deceive, and that needs to change going forward.

The former Juventus boss is a cool head in a crisis. He will instil the right focus and mentality into a group of players who looked lost out at sea for much of Frank’s tenure.

The new boss does need his players to be receptive, though. Indeed, what Tudor needs is for his senior Spurs stars to step up, taking responsibility and exuding control and composure on the pitch. He needs someone like Mousa Dembele.

Of course, that’s easier said than done, with the retired Belgian considered to be “the best in the world” during his heyday, as was once said by Kevin De Bruyne.

Tudor might just find he has his own version of the iconic midfielder in his mix, but he’s not actually found in the middle of the park.

Tudor could strike gold with the new Mousa Dembele

To say that Micky van de Ven is not found in midfield is actually a lie, for the Netherlands defender can be sighted dashing through the centre circle with speed that Usain Bolt would tip his hat to.

Ange’s Spurs system was inherently difficult for a centre-back. However, Van de Ven has still settled into his role in the Premier League and convinced the likes of Liverpool that he is worth forking out £100m to sign.

Indeed, there is no player of a Spurs persuasion who boasts a bigger market value than the Netherlands star, who has actually been hailed as a physical “monster” by reporter Elliott Jackson.

This is corroborated by Transfermarkt, who have revealed him to be the club’s most valuable player at €65m (£57m), even ahead of Romero and new recruit Xavi Simons, the latter of whom is projected to become one of the finest playmakers in the world.

This is true, but it’s also true that Van de Ven boasts more technical quality than most. In this, he shares something with Dembele, who was also a left-footed carrier with an ability to glide past players, stepping up and making things happen.

Dembele, now 38, is remembered fondly to this day for his ability to stand out and shine among his peers, and it’s safe to say that Van de Ven has done that.

After all, he’s gone from strength to strength throughout a deeply difficult time for the Londoners. Take his precision in the duel, for example. Last season, Van de Ven won only 48% of his ground duels, whereas this year he has won 62%.

For a Tottenham side who have been so poor in the duel, this is most impressive, showing that like Dembele he has the focus to develop his natural talent even when the going gets tough.

Tudor will love him. Van de Ven is not flawless, but he’s a unique and coveted centre-back who might just prove the difference over the next few months, especially if the new manager opts to field a three-man backline, thus unleashing the 24-year-old’s athletic, fleet-footed qualities.

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