Former Spurs midfielder Sandro has urged Roberto De Zerbi to build squad around ‘this’ star.
Former Tottenham midfielder Sandro has delivered a passionate plea for Micky van de Ven to remain at the club and be handed the captaincy next season, expressing his belief that Roberto De Zerbi’s rebuild should be constructed around the Dutch defender as its defensive cornerstone.
The Brazilian, who spent four years at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium between 2010 and 2014, spoke with the kind of emotional investment in the club’s future that former players who genuinely care about Spurs consistently display, and his verdict on Van de Ven’s importance to what De Zerbi is building was unambiguous. Journalist Chris Cowlin reported on X:
“Van de Ven needs to stay, he needs to be the captain for next season. I think De Zerbi will build a strong squad, and it will help Micky as well. He’s so important for Tottenham. I hope he does stay and De Zerbi can build the team around him at the back and then around the midfielders.”
The call for Van de Ven to be handed the captaincy is a significant one and will resonate with a section of the fanbase that has watched the Dutchman’s qualities and character shine through even during his most difficult moments this season. With Cristian Romero’s future at the club uncertain amid Barcelona’s reported player-plus-cash approach, the question of who leads this team into next season is one the club must answer clearly and quickly.
Van de Ven could stay at Spurs this summer
Van de Ven’s own desire to stay, confirmed in the days following the Everton survival victory, makes Sandro’s vision considerably more realistic than it might otherwise have seemed. De Zerbi has already spoken of the Dutchman in glowing terms, describing him as the best left-sided centre back in the Premier League, and the relationship built between manager and player during the most pressurised weeks of the survival battle appears to have left a lasting impression on both sides.
Building a defence around Van de Ven and a midfield structure alongside Bentancur, Gray, and potential new arrivals gives De Zerbi the foundations of something genuinely exciting. Sandro’s vision is entirely achievable.