Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has been linked with a summer switch to Liverpool, but former Reds defender Glen Johnson isn't so sure it should happen
Under-fire Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has risked putting potential suitors Liverpool off signing him in the summer, according to ex-Reds full-back Glen Johnson.
Centre-back Van de Ven, a Dutch international team-mate of Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Jeremie Frimpong, was sent off in Tottenham's 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Thursday, and as a result will miss Spurs' trip to Anfield in the Premier League next weekend.
Spurs could enter that game in the relegation zone follow a dire run of form which has seen them slide down the table and led to the sacking of Thomas Frank as manager last month.
Former Brentford boss Frank has been replaced by ex-Marseille, Lazio and Juventus boss Igor Tudor on an interim bases, but the Croatian has lost all three of his matches in charge to heighten relegation fears in north London.
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Tudor's first match in charge against Arsenal saw Van de Ven seemingly ignoring his instructions to push up the pitch, with that incident coming a few weeks after the defender was seen snubbing Frank as he left the field following a defeat to Chelsea.
Former Reds right-back Johnson says such behaviour won't endear Van de Ven to potential new clubs should he leave Spurs in the summer.
"Managers need to know that ability alone isn't enough," Johnson told BOYLE Sports.
"Players need to be willing to do what their teammates, the manager, and the team require in games. It's not nice to see someone publicly disagreeing with in-house decisions like Micky van de Ven did.
"Disagreeing in the dressing room or on the training ground is fine, as you want the best for everyone. But to do it publicly is off-putting. It gives the impression that a player is better than the rest. And maybe he is, but that's not the point. You don't want to see that.
Johnson also questioned Van de Ven's suitability for a move to the likes of Liverpool or Manchester United, pointing to Tottenham's form this season as evidence.
"Van de Ven at Liverpool or Manchester United? There'd probably be a lot of (Tottenham) players that people would want to look at, but the ones they are looking at are still the players who are in this team and in a relegation battle.
"So there would be a couple of gems you could get on the cheap, for sure. But, as I say, if they were that good, they wouldn't be in this position."