Micky van de Ven made his feelings about Liverpool very clear as speculation links the Tottenham defender with a move to Anfield
Micky van de Ven
Micky van de Ven is believed to be on Liverpool's radar again(Image: Getty Images)
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Liverpool-linked Micky van de Ven has made no secret of his admiration for the Reds. The Tottenham defender has moved up the club's wishlist after long-term target Marc Guehi joined Manchester City this month.
Guehi was on the verge of joining Liverpool last summer, only for Crystal Palace to pull the plug at the 11th hour. City have now swept to secure a cut-price £20million deal for the England defender, whose Eagles deal was due to expire in the summer.
Arne Slot wants to shore up the heart of his defence and Van de Ven would be an obvious target after impressing for both Spurs and the Netherlands since moving to the Premier League from Wolfsburg in 2023. The 24-year-old was linked with Liverpool ahead of Jurgen Klopp's final season as boss.
Speaking in June 2023, shortly before his £43m move to Spurs, he told Voetbal International: "Of course, there are a lot of people who draw lines. It's true that the director (then Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke previously worked for Wolfsburg) went there and I know that Liverpool followed me before. But at the moment, I don't know anything. Do I think Liverpool is a nice club? Naturally."
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Going back further, Van de Ven once paid a Boxing Day visit to Anfield, revealing it was a dream of his to play there one day. He told Wolfsburger Allgemeine Aller-Zeitung in January 2023: "I once went to the Liverpool stadium with my dad.
A general view of the Kop at Anfield as Liverpool fans hold up scarfs, wave flags and display banners
The Kop once gave Van de Ven a "goosebumps" moment(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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"That was over Christmas on Boxing Day. Liverpool vs Arsenal. That was madness. Then when 'You'll Never Walk Alone' comes [on], that's a goosebump moment, that was very cool. It's a dream to play there."
With Tottenham 14th in the Premier League and currently on course to miss out on European football, the future of Van de Ven, who has a contract until 2029, has been brought into sharp focus. According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are ready to make a move for the highly-rated defender this summer.
Losing such a key player would be a major blow to Spurs, with under-pressure head coach Thomas Frank expressing his importance to the club this week. Asked if there had been any progress on talks over a new contract, Frank said: "That I don’t know, if I'm honest, but he's definitely a player we should prioritise.
Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven and manager Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank says Spurs must keep Van de Ven(Image: PA)
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"Micky is a key player for this team and this club and hopefully for many years to come. He has what it takes to be an even better player and I've no doubt he can help us to get us to where we want to be in the future.
"I think he has potentially his best season so far he's had. He's fit, he's strong, good defensively, he’s growing as a leader, scoring goals as well. He's a very important player for us this season and for the future."
Asked if £100million would be enough for Tottenham to consider selling Van de Ven, Frank responded: "I would say he's very important for us, so Micky is a Tottenham player now and for the future."
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