Tottenham have perfect partnership staring at them - Roberto De Zerbi can't follow World Cup direction
Tottenham Hotspur have started the transfer window like a house on fire.
Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson have all joined the club, and the list is not set to end there.
Roberto De Zerbi was deservedly handed the reins before the summer, after he steered Spurs to safety at the end of last season.
The North London club in general are reaping the rewards of this, as they take the limelight in the Premier League before the coming term.
With new signings come new questions regarding the lineup - particularly at the back, where there have been three new additions.
But the Italian boss cannot follow the guidance from the World Cup, and must make use of what could become the league's premier partnership.
Netherlands example is the wrong one to follow for Roberto De Zerbi
The aforementioned Van Hecke saw his move from Brighton confirmed last month.
The centre-back was arguably the best ball-playing defender in the Premier League last term, completing 2,198 passes, 133 accurate long balls, and showcasing the trust placed in him with 3,041 touches.
Joining for £52million, the Dutchman is always going to be a starter, especially after De Zerbi was the man to polish his game on the South Coast.
Compatriot Micky van de Ven is also set to stay this summer, after a series of links away since his 2023 arrival.
Despite also being a centre-back, the Tottenham man is deployed out at left-back for the Netherlands, with his pace seeing him a useful option at times.
But this cannot be followed at club level, with the benefits out there in the open if De Zerbi fields the pair where they should be: at centre-back.
Defensive decision clearly there to be made by De Zerbi
As defenders, both Van Hecke and Van de Ven are as progressive as they come, but in contrasting fashions.
Capable of driving and eating up ground with the ball at his feet, Van de Ven is a huge physical asset, while he is not too shabby in possession, with 0.33 successful dribbles per 90, and a 90.5 per cent pass success rate.
Van Hecke, on the other side, acts like a midfielder in the backline, with an incredible passing range in his locker.
The latter is a passing machine, with the aforementioned stats backed up with the fact he completed 61 passes into the final third in the World Cup group stage - more than any other player, and 17 more than Vitinha in second place.
This matches Van de Ven's physicality perfectly, and while the temptation could be to use this out wide, they compliment each other better at centre-back, and De Zerbi cannot lean into the Dutch idea of Van de Ven out on the left.