Ray Parlour would have Tottenham star Micky van de Ven at Arsenal, but it comes with a twist
Ray Parlour believes Tottenham ace Micky van de Ven would be good enough to start for Arsenal, but not in his usual position.
The Netherlands international has been superb for the Lilywhites and has been clear of criticism in a rough period at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Alongside Cristian Romero, the 24-year-old has excelled while representing a true vocal point for Spurs both on and off the pitch.
That has sparked questions of whether the defender could move on in the near future, especially with a relegation fight in the pipeline.
The North London derby is up next for Van de Ven, and now Arsenal legend Parlour has revealed where the Spurs man would fit in across the capital.
Micky van de Ven starting role revealed at Arsenal
There will be no surprises in the summer window if a whole host of big clubs come sniffing around the Dutchman.
The ex-Wolfsburg man has been superb ever since his move from the Bundesliga and is up there with the best in position right now.
He has proven he can perform in the Premier League, so he could attract interest from Arsenal as they look to strengthen in the upcoming transfer window.
Mikel Arteta’s side could be champions by then, although the Lilywhites will hope to hurt those hopes in the North London derby.
Ahead of Sunday’s clash, talkSPORT presenter Shebahn Aherne asked Parlour whether he would take any Tottenham players at the Emirates Stadium.
She asked: “How many of the Spurs players would get into the Arsenal team? Would you put any of them in?“
The Gunners legend replied: “I think their best player is Van de Ven. Could you find him a spot? I wouldn’t split up [William] Saliba and Gabriel, so maybe left-back?
“You wouldn’t want to split them. He could go in at left-back, yes.“
Is Tottenham star Van de Ven better than William Saliba?
If you asked the wider football fan who they would take, van de Ven or Saliba, the results are bound to be hugely mixed.
Both provide different qualities which make them stand out, with the Frenchman’s defensive exploits being just that bit better than the Spurs ace.
The Arsenal defender has conceded just 10 goals this season while keeping 11 clean sheets, ranking him in the top one per cent for players in his position.
Van de Ven can’t be blamed for those stats in a terrible Tottenham side, and has maintained superb stats in areas he can control.
| Stat | Micky van de Ven |
| Goals Conceded | 30 |
| Minutes per goal conceded | 72 |
| Clean sheets | 7 |
| Yellow Cards | 6 |
His 1,142 accurate passes, 54 per cent dribble success rate and goal output rank him within the best in his position, while also making an average of 4.10 clearances and 0.67 blocks per 90.
It would be interesting to know who the wider footballing world would choose, but there is no doubt the Lilywhites faithful would select the Dutchman every time.
Parlour, not for the first time, is wide of the mark with his latest Tottenham comments.
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