Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Mon 25 May 2026 12:10, UK

Tottenham Hotspur can finally begin looking ahead to the summer, with their Premier League status confirmed.

Beating Everton 1-0 on Sunday, Spurs were able to cover the result of West Ham, who beat Leeds 3-0 at the London Stadium.

As a result, Premier League football is sealed for Roberto De Zerbi and his side, after a dismal 2025-26 return for the Lilywhites.

Having finished 17th in successive years, the North London club need serious improvements moving forward.

And they may be set to receive a big boost ahead of the summer, with Micky van de Ven dropping a big hint on his future.

Micky van de Ven outlines future plans for Tottenham as disaster avoided

Making the move from VfL Wolfsburg in 2023, Van de Ven has become a popular figure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He has come under criticism this season – as have many at Spurs – but he is someone who fans would love to keep hold of as they rebuild and reset.

With captain Cristian Romero likely to leave this summer, De Zerbi will be desperate to keep at least one of the pair, with Van de Ven’s quotes after the Everton win suggesting that he may just be set to stay.

“Really confident [there will be improvements next season],” the Dutchman told Sky Sports.

“I think we have the right people now here, the right manager. So yeah, I’m confident that we can do more next year.

“Two years in a row we end up 17th, which is unacceptable, especially for a club like Spurs. So things are going to need to change next season, and we’re going to see if that’s going to happen,” he added, potentially pointing in the direction of a continued role in North London next term.

“We’re going to do everything about it, and I’m confident that we’re going to do way better than we did the last two seasons,” he said.

Throughout the term, Van de Ven has been someone earmarked for a move away this summer.

However, based on not just his words but the emphasis on next season, the defender could well be someone whom De Zerbi is looking to build his backline around next season.

Micky van de Ven could form formidable partnership with returning star

After securing survival, things are beginning to look up from a Tottenham perspective, particularly with the most highly rated young defender, Luka Vuskovic, returning this summer.

After a sensational season out on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg, the Croatian has continued to go from strength to strength.

Potentially partnering with Van de Ven, the pair could form a formidable duo next season.

As players, they complement each other perfectly, with the flaws of their own covered by the strengths of the other.

Statistically, Van de Ven is one of the fastest players in Premier League history, having clocked a top speed of over 37km/h on three occasions, making him incredibly useful in a high line.

Vuskovic, on the other hand, sits at 31.2km/h in terms of top speed, and for all his defensive abilities, would need a presence like Van de Ven next to him in what is likely to be a higher line next term.

With 2,070 touches, 88 accurate long balls, 1,274 successful passes and 11 chances created, Vuskovic almost plays the role of a midfielder at centre-back, while his aerial dominance has seen him win 74.5 per cent of his duels in the air, and he has made 339 defensive contributions in the Bundesliga.

Van de Ven is not as strong in the air, winning just 46.5 per cent across the season, but his pace and physical qualities have seen him make 122 recoveries this term, while the difference in style on the ball adds a whole new dimension in possession.

Complementing each other perfectly, Van de Ven and Vuskovic could become a formidable partnership in the Premier League, with this hope provided after the recent comments from the Dutchman.