Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Thu 23 April 2026 16:10, UK

Micky van de Ven had a bone to pick over suggestions that Tottenham Hotspur‘s players weren’t bothered by their relegation woes. “It’s the biggest nonsense,” he insisted.

The only problem, of course, is that these claims were anything but ridiculous. If body language is an indicator of commitment, Van de Ven has one foot out the door already.

The defender, speaking ahead of Spurs’ Champions League last-16 victory against Atletico Madrid, a result not good enough to undo the damage from the reverse leg humiliation, was worried that supporters were beginning to believe that the squad simply didn’t care.

If his retort was designed to prove his loyalty, it didn’t work.

Now, Manchester United are said to be weighing up swooping for Van de Ven. Regardless of whether Spurs avoid relegation, they should snap the Red Devils’ hand off.

Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven dilemma

According to The Athletic, United hold an interest in Van de Ven, whose departure from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium looks to be becoming more likely with every passing week. He is tied down to a contract running until 2029, and so would command a significant fee.

It has been a turbulent campaign for the 25-year-old. While he has been caught out too many times defensively, he has popped up with seven goals in 40 appearances. For a centre-back, that is an outstanding return. No wonder United have had their ears pricked.

Whoever is in the Old Trafford dugout next season will also surely admire Van de Ven’s ability on the ball, no-nonsense style and sheer speed. These traits would be a boon to any top-flight club, as well as other heavyweights across Europe. Formal bids are expected.

Worryingly, though, he has been unable to show this quality this season. Once the cult hero behind Spurs’ Europa League triumph against Manchester United, having acrobatically cleared an effort off the line in Bilbao, he is now a symbol of the wider malaise in N17.

It didn’t take much for the pitchforks to come out. Indeed, the backlash can be traced back to a display of petulance after the 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea in November. Djed Spence and Van de Ven flagrantly ignored Thomas Frank’s instruction to applaud the home support.

Instead, the duo headed straight down the tunnel. The next day, they knocked on Frank’s office door to apologise, claiming they had meant no disrespect. But that missed the point. In this mess, everything is scrutinised, down to the height of the players’ socks.

For many supporters, Van de Ven breezing past his under-pressure manager, so focused was he on his own disappointment, was a bridge too far. The gulf between them only widened after the defender’s churlish red card against Crystal Palace – his first for the club.

It is little wonder, then, that Toby Alderweireld, a distinguished servant during his six-year spell in North London, recently opted to criticise Van de Ven’s body language.

Alderweireld said on TikTok: “How do you get out of a situation like that? Only as a team. By fighting for each other, creating an ‘over my dead body’ mentality. That’s something I’m missing. To be fair, even Micky van de Ven is part of that.

“He’s not making the players around him better.”

These cracks are beginning to widen. According to FourFourTwo, Van de Ven has been “tidying up his off-field affairs in London”, suggesting his future lies elsewhere. Represented by the Team Raiola agency, he has also been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona.

His price tag, though, will depend on whether Spurs avoid relegation. If they stay in the Premier League, he would command a premium fee. But if they drop into the Championship, the transfer race could soon resemble feeding time at the zoo.

Why clubs want to sign Van de Ven

There are clear reasons why he remains in such high demand.

According to FotMob, Van de Ven has made 34 tackles this season, placing him in the 70th percentile in comparison to other Premier League centre-backs. He has also blocked 21 shots and made the same number of interceptions. These numbers are solid enough.

His 103 recoveries and 118 clearances have helped to give Spurs a fighting chance in the relegation dogfight, while he has won 53.8 per cent of his duels. Underlining his importance on the ball, he has a 69.2 per cent dribble success and a pass accuracy of 89.4 per cent.

It is obvious that Tottenham are a drastically improved team when Van de Ven is at his best. That much was shown by him being awarded the club’s player of the season gong in his first campaign. He was also crucial in helping Ange Postecoglou‘s aggressive approach work.

Either way, the club have a big decision to make in the summer.