Tottenham Hotspur look to be closing in on one of their biggest off-field wins of the summer, with Micky van de Ven reportedly nearing a new long-term deal after a notable change of heart about his future.
The Dutch defender had initially been tipped to weigh up a move away from north London this summer, despite being one of Spurs’ most influential figures since his arrival from VfL Wolfsburg back in 2023. But following weeks of talks and what’s being described as a strong push from Roberto De Zerbi, Van de Ven now appears ready to commit his future to the club.
Since joining, the Dutchman has grown into one of the Premier League’s top centre-backs, becoming a regular starter thanks to his speed, calm defending, and reading of the game — qualities that inevitably drew attention from some of Europe’s leading sides.
Dutch outlets had earlier reported contact from both Liverpool and Barcelona over a possible move. Despite that interest, De Zerbi was said to be intent on holding onto one of his key defenders and pushed the club to prioritize tying him down.
Citing Voetbal International, Soccer News reported that Van de Ven had initially leaned toward leaving Spurs this summer, but has since performed a significant reversal and is now close to signing fresh terms. Notably, his existing contract doesn’t expire until 2029, meaning the two sides are essentially ironing out the final details of an upgraded deal rather than negotiating from scratch. And while Liverpool and Barcelona remain admirers, neither has made a serious move, leaving Tottenham well placed to get the renewal over the line.
De Zerbi’s role in the breakthrough
Much of the shift in Van de Ven’s thinking is being credited to De Zerbi, who reportedly made locking down the defender’s future a priority as soon as he took over.
The Italian is said to have pushed hard internally to retain him, while Tottenham have also worked to show the player just how central he is to their plans going forward.
Talks are said to have progressed significantly, with confidence growing inside the club that a deal can be finalized soon now that Van de Ven has fully bought into the club’s direction.
Securing the extension would also be a personal win for De Zerbi, who reportedly sees the Dutchman as a key building block for the squad he’s putting together — and, with Cristian Romero’s own future uncertain, possibly even a future captain.
The bond between player and manager is said to have played a big part in the turnaround too. Van de Ven reportedly spoke positively during the Club World Cup about how quickly De Zerbi had transformed things at Tottenham, crediting him with steering the club to safety and shifting its trajectory.
That respect for the manager appears to have been a deciding factor in the 24-year-old choosing to stay rather than explore a move elsewhere. Terms and contract length haven’t been confirmed yet, but all signs point to Tottenham being on the cusp of tying down another key player — a real boost for De Zerbi heading into the new season.
