Micky van de Ven has agreed a new five-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur after a remarkable turnaround in his future at the club, TEAMtalk can confirm.
We exclusively revealed last month that Van de Ven had become open to signing fresh terms after previously informing Tottenham he was prepared to leave north London.
At the time, sources indicated that the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as the manager had completely changed the Dutch defender’s outlook, and those discussions have now resulted in an agreement.
The 25-year-old is now set to commit his long-term future to Spurs in a deal that will make him one of the club’s highest earners.
We understand that Van de Ven has agreed terms on a contract that will almost double his current salary, reflecting both his importance to the squad and Tottenham’s determination to keep one of their most valuable assets.
Van de Ven had serious doubts about remaining at Spurs at the turn of the year, with uncertainty surrounding the club’s direction leading him to believe his future lay elsewhere.
Interest was building too, with sources telling us that Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester United had all been monitoring Van de Ven’s situation closely.
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Roberto De Zerbi convinces Micky van de Ven
However, De Zerbi’s arrival has transformed the mood inside the club.
The Italian not only guided Tottenham to safety during last season’s relegation battle but has quickly convinced key members of the squad that the club is once again moving in the right direction.
Sources say Van de Ven has been one of the biggest believers in De Zerbi’s project after holding a number of conversations with the new head coach over the summer.
TEAMtalk also understands that, with Argentine defender Cristian Romero expected to leave Tottenham in the coming days – most likely for Atletico Madrid – Van de Ven has held discussions with De Zerbi about taking on the captaincy.
While no final decision has been made, the Netherlands international centre-back is understood to be one of the leading candidates to inherit the armband as the club enters a new era.
De Zerbi has also played a central role in Tottenham’s ambitious recruitment drive, with the arrivals of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke reinforcing the belief that Spurs are building a squad capable of challenging much higher up the Premier League table.
We understand that Van de Ven sees himself as a cornerstone of that project and is excited by the direction Tottenham are heading under De Zerbi.
Van de Ven now follows Pedro Porro and Antonin Kinsky in committing his long-term future to Tottenham in recent months, with all three players opting to sign new contracts as they buy into De Zerbi’s vision for the club.
Internally, Spurs view those renewals as every bit as important as their summer signings, believing they have secured the core of the squad for years to come.