Micky van de Ven’s revival under Roberto De Zerbi stands as one of the most remarkable personal turnarounds of Tottenham Hotspur’s dramatic survival story this season.
From The Brink To The Backbone
When De Zerbi arrived at Spurs with the club staring relegation in the face, van de Ven was a shadow of himself. Error-prone, disengaged and reportedly contemplating his future away from North London, the Dutch centre-back had become a liability rather than an asset. Reckless challenges and costly mistakes were defining his performances and an exit looked increasingly inevitable.
Then everything changed.
De Zerbi’s Personal Touch
Under the Italian coach, van de Ven rediscovered his best form and emerged as one of Spurs’ most dependable defenders — a transformation that became even more crucial when captain Cristian Romero was ruled out for the rest of the season through injury.
Speaking during international duty with the Netherlands, van de Ven gave a rare and honest insight into just how dark things had become mentally.
“At one point, I wouldn’t even go out,” he revealed. “I thought, do I even deserve to have fun? Maybe it sounds extreme, but you want to turn things around at any cost.”
He credited De Zerbi’s direct approach as the turning point — the manager told him straight that he was going to need him badly and rely on him heavily. That belief forced van de Ven to step up and embrace a leadership role despite his young age.
“When we secured safety, it felt like I was a hundred kilos lighter. All the stress disappeared instantly,” he added.
Links To Barcelona And Real Madrid Ignored
Despite persistent interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid, van de Ven has since reaffirmed his commitment to Tottenham — a decision that speaks volumes about the environment De Zerbi has created at the club.
De Zerbi’s ability to not only save Spurs from a historic relegation but simultaneously rescue the career of a mentally fragile but supremely talented defender may ultimately prove to be his greatest achievement at the club yet.
