Liverpool saw long-term transfer target Marc Guehi move to Man City this month. But it could pivot toward an audacious raid on Tottenham for Micky van de Ven.
17:45, 21 Jan 2026Updated 17:45, 21 Jan 2026
Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur at Vitality Stadium on January 07, 2026 in Bournemouth, England.
Spurs defender Micky van de Ven has emerged as a surprise transfer target for Liverpool.(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Liverpool completed part of Marc Guehi's medical last summer, but had to watch his unveiling as a Manchester City player this month. That could see the Reds pivot to new transfer targets, potentially including Micky van de Ven.
Arne Slot's side was never likely to enter the race for Guehi in January. Crystal Palace commanded a sizeable up-front fee for a player with only six months left to run on his deal, while the defender was in a position to demand the same kind of signing-on fee and personal terms he would have been able to fetch as a free agent.
Even so, it's a frustrating blow. Liverpool will certainly need to recruit at least one new player in defense come the summer, with Virgil van Dijk turning 35 and Ibrahima Konate still not committing to fresh terms at Anfield.
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Van de Ven has emerged as an intriguing option recently. While Liverpool and Spurs have not been routinely competing for the same honors in recent seasons, the fact remains that the last transfer between the two sides was Robbie Keane more than 15 years ago.
Of course, Keane technically represents the last two transfer dealings between the two clubs, having rejoined Spurs in January 2009 just six months after joining the Reds. But if Liverpool could tempt Van de Ven, it would be confident of a more successful outcome.
The center-back has lots of the physical tools required to make him a natural successor to Van Dijk, his national captain. Both are physically imposing and extremely quick, making them appear almost impassable when at their very best.
In fact, you would argue that Van de Ven is a more natural fit than Guehi in this regard. Man City's newest recruit perhaps has the edge when it comes to passing incisively out from the back, but the Dutch defender is gradually becoming more of a complete package.
Still just 24, Van de Ven is only going to get better. But could that development really be set to take place at Anfield, perhaps initially under the wing of Van Dijk?
Micky van de Ven of Holland, Holland goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, Stefan De Vrij of Holland and Virgil van Dijk of Holland (l-r) during the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16 match between Romania and the Netherlands at the Munich Football Arena on July 2, 2024 in Munich, Germany.
Micky Van de Ven and Virgil van Dijk have a number of similarities.(Image: ANP via Getty Images)
According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool is serious about asking the question. Its interest is becoming more and more concrete, and Spurs' resolve is set to be tested in the summer.
Whether that means a deal can be agreed is another matter. Van de Ven is a critical part of the Tottenham team, having played the full 90 minutes in all bar three games across the Premier League and Champions League so far this season.
But the Spurs hierarchy have pledged to become better at selling. And while Van de Ven is contracted until 2029, he has not engaged with renewal talks, meaning a Liverpool bid would at least pose a conundrum.
This would be an admirable response to missing out on Guehi. Liverpool would get all the same benefits of acquiring an established Premier League star, albeit without the considerable upside of adding to the homegrown quota.
Marc Guehi (6 England) goes forward during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K Qualifying match between England and Latvia at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on March 24, 2025.
Marc Guehi is an England regular, and would have eased Liverpool's worries over homegrown allowances. (Image: Kevin Hodgson | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
You can't help but feel that the Reds have somewhat tied their own hands in this regard. Jarell Quansah was allowed to leave last summer, while Tyler Morton and Harvey Elliott were also moved on, but Jeremie Frimpong was the only homegrown replacement in Liverpool's mega-money spree.
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That's now something to bear in mind when it comes to any transfer links. As things stand, Liverpool could not register anyone who is not homegrown (Van de Ven included), although Calvin Ramsay would be an obvious removal from the Premier League squad to make one extra space.
Van de Ven would surely be worth this final slot if a transfer were possible, even amid the backdrop of Liverpool's reduced market flexibility. Whether Spurs will sell remains to be seen, but it's an exciting prospect to monitor ahead of the summer.