The centre-back position has been a top target for Barcelona for a while now, and several players have been linked as possible targets.
One such player is Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven who is currently on duty with the Netherlands national team at the FIFA World Cup.
Having come very close to relegation, Spurs are looking for a complete revolution this summer, but their players have also become a target for other top European clubs owing to their situation.
The Premier League side, however, have actively denied the possibility of van de Ven leaving this summer as of earlier this week.
Talks for a renewal
As relayed by Ben Jacobs in a recent report, Tottenham are now planning to initiate contract renewal talks with the centre-back amidst all the noise around his future.
They see talks and a possible renewal as the best foot to put forward at this point in time to make a firm stand on their plans.
The 25-year-old defender’s current contract with the English side runs until the summer of 2029, and is already a relatively long-term deal on that front.
Any further extension at this point will thus completely close the door to a departure and force Barcelona to explore alternative options.
Major competitors exit the race
The English journalist also furthers that Liverpool, who were also rumoured to be pursuing the player and eyeing him as a top defensive target, currently have no plans of going after him this summer.
Barcelona, thus, stand as the biggest candidate interested in landing the player with significantly less competition than before. The big hurdle, however, is convincing Tottenham to make the sale.
Last season, the Dutchman made 35 league appearances for his club with four goals and an assist to his name. He averaged over eight defensive actions per game and oversaw eight clean sheets in the competition.
He has also played all ninety minutes in both of his nation’s games in the ongoing FIFA World Cup and is an integral component of the team’s plans.
If Barcelona are to continue to see him as a priority target, intercepting the renewal talks and ensuring it does not go through will be crucial.