Tottenham have made their price tag for star defender Micky van de Ven crystal clear amid interest from a host of rivals, which reportedly includes Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Spurs flirt with relegation and mass summer exodus
According to recent reports, as many as seven Spurs stars are considering their futures after what has been a torrid campaign, and it’s hardly surprising why.
It has been a season to forget at N17.
Thomas Frank sacked, Igor Tudor brought in on an interim basis, a 4-1 hammering by Arsenal for his very first game in charge, and a league position that has made supporters genuinely fear the Championship for the first time in a generation.
Tottenham sit 16th, just four points above the drop zone, with a squad that has looked devoid of confidence, structure and at times, basic organisation.
The players who arrived last summer with such promise have largely failed to deliver.
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The north Londoners are making plans after a torrid campaign.
The recruitment has been scrutinised, the ownership has been questioned, and the uncertainty off the pitch has matched the turmoil on it.
Amid all of that wreckage, minimal players have stood out, but van de Ven is chief among the best of a bad bunch.
Week after week, regardless of the chaos swirling around him, he has been exceptional at times.
The 24-year-old, signed from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023, has made 25 Premier League appearances this season, chipped in with four goals and captained the side on multiple occasions.
In a team that has struggled to string results together, he has been composed, commanding and playing with a maturity that seems entirely at odds with the shambles around him.
However, with that, comes interest from elite rivals.
Reports suggest that van de Ven and Tottenham have also shelved new contract talks as they battle against the drop, and following this update, clubs have made their fondness for the Dutchman known.
Tottenham make eye-watering Micky van de Ven demand after new deal talks stop
As per TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham value van de Ven at an eye-watering £100 million, which would make him the most expensive defender in football history.
That figure, staggering as it sounds for a club fighting relegation, reflects both the defender’s quality and the very real interest that has now emerged from some of the biggest clubs in European football.
Liverpool, who tracked Van de Ven closely during his time at Wolfsburg before he opted for Spurs, have rekindled their admiration for the left-sided centre-back.
The Reds are actively looking to strengthen their defence this summer and view him as one of the most attractive options on the market.
Man United have also entered the frame. The Red Devils see van de Ven as a serious target, particularly if they secure Champions League qualification — something that would significantly sharpen their appeal to a player determined to compete at the highest level.
United understand that if Tottenham were to suffer relegation, their opportunity to land him becomes even more straightforward.
And then there is Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants have long admired van de Ven and, with defensive reinforcements required at the Bernabeu this summer, sources caution strongly against ruling them out.
Madrid’s interest adds yet another layer of complexity to a situation that already has enormous consequences for Tottenham’s future.
The decision to delay conversations over a new deal may yet prove costly as at result, even if the Netherlands international is contracted until 2029.
The longer the uncertainty persists, the more emboldened those circling clubs will become.
For Tudor, keeping hold of his best player while simultaneously keeping the club in the Premier League may prove the toughest challenge of all.
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Spurs are being made aware he could be available.