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Micky van de Ven has already been one of Tottenham’s unsung heroes this season.

The Lilywhites have seen several players steal the spotlight this season.

Mohammed Kudus has been hailed as one of Spurs’ best players; meanwhile, all eyes were on Xavi Simons when he debuted for Tottenham in their win over West Ham.

But Van de Ven has been incredible since the season began. Things were no different during Spurs’ win over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League, where he was a force to be reckoned with at the back.

As a result, the defender has piqued the interest of more than Tottenham fans as of late.

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This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

Micky van de Ven not expected to sign for Madrid

It was suggested that Real Madrid could sign Cristian Romero over the summer, but the defender has since signed an extension and accepted the captain’s armband.

Now it seems that the Spanish side has moved on to the second member of Spurs’ elite centre-back duo. As reported by Fichajes on 9 September, Real Madrid see Van de Ven as an ideal profile.

However, it is understood Spurs would only consider negotiation for a price of around £69million.

All things considered, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – does not see a reason why van de Ven would want to leave Spurs anytime soon.

“At the moment, there’s no basis for him to go,” Wenham said.

“We’re playing in the Champions League. He’s won a major European trophy playing for us. He’s only made his Champions League debut on Tuesday of this week. You think that because he’s a little bit older, people think he hasn’t played in the Champions League before.

“We’re providing him every possible footballing opportunity and aspiration we want at the moment at Tottenham. So I don’t see any basis for him wanting to leave either.”

How has Micky van de Ven performed this season?

In addition to the Champions League, Van de Ven has been an absolute unit in the Premier League.

Tottenham fans will be hoping that the centre-back keeps up the good work. But fitness will continue to be an issue at the back of their minds.

The defender missed 20 games last season due to various injuries, which weakened the Spurs defence in several aspects. However, there is hope that this will be less of an issue playing under Frank, who is more measured in his approach compared to Ange Postecoglou.

Richarlison could face increased competition at Tottenham as the season progresses.

The Brazilian has become Thomas Frank’s number one at Spurs despite reports of a potential departure over the summer.

Richarlison netted twice for Tottenham against Burnley in the Premier League. While an assist during Spurs’ win over Manchester City saw him establish himself as Frank’s starting striker.

But he could soon be flung off his path to redemption in North London.

Tottenham News presents the exclusive opinion of iconic football commentator Ian Darke.

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Randal Kolo Muani could become a ‘contender’ at Tottenham

Tottenham signed Randal Kolo Muani on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day, but he has yet to start for Frank.

Kolo Muani came on as a substitute for Tottenham in their win over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League. However, his hesitancy to make runs made it clear that fitness, not quality, is keeping him from the starting XI.

While Richarlison currently has the striker position on lock, Darke – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – admits that Kolo Muani’s Champions League experience could give him the edge.

“I think he’s at the moment, Richarlison’s the player in possession,” he said.

“He only didn’t start at the weekend, and I’m guessing, because he’d been with Brazil. So maybe a little bit of jet lag, late arriving back. But he started the season well and is full of it and loves playing for Frank. So it’s his position.

“Kolo Muani is going to be knocking at the door because he’s quite a quality player, but he’s been quite frustrated at PSG being a substitute there for the moment.

“He might have to just be a little bit patient, being a substitute with Tottenham, although his Champions League experience might make him quite a contender for games in that competition.”

What is Randal Kolo Muani’s Champions League record?

Kolo Muani has experience in the Champions League playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, PSG and Juventus.

This could benefit Spurs greatly moving forward. Several of the North London club’s players have limited experience in the competition, and this is the first time Frank is coaching at the elite level.

As a result, it would not come as a surprise to see Kolo Muani start for Tottenham in some of the more difficult games.

Tottenham managed to secure a win in their Champions League opener over Villarreal due to a Luiz Junior own goal.

The Lilywhites were expected to thrash the Spanish side after a convincing win for Spurs over West Ham in the Premier League.

Tottenham fans were sluggish in their 1-0 victory against Villarreal on Tuesday, with the Lilywhites still prevailing thanks to Lucas Bergvall forcing an own goal.

While Bergvall’s heroics ensured the Lilywhites ended the night with all three points, Thomas Frank could’ve bagged a more convincing win if not for injuries again.

This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

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Tottenham missed Dominic Solanke against Villarreal

While Dominic Solanke has returned to Tottenham training, he was not fit enough to be on the bench against Villarreal.

The Tottenham star has been sidelined since Spurs’ win over Manchester City in the Premier League, which has allowed Richarlison to impress Frank on the pitch.

However, Richarlison was anonymous against Villarreal, struggling to beat his man throughout the game.

As a result, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Solanke could have been a better option on the night.

“We keep hearing about his return, but his constant injuries at the moment are very frustrating because we need him on the pitch,” Wenham said.

“I thought to myself during the first half against Villarreal that it wasn’t really happening for Richarlison on the night. The defence was winning the headers, winning the duels, so they all kept sort of getting mispassed in the midfield and that kind of thing.

“I thought, yeah, if we had Solanke here, he would hold balls up. So hopefully we can get him back soon, so I keep hearing that he’s not far away, but I just want to see him back now.”

What can Dominic Solanke bring to Tottenham?

Solanke netted 16 goals and provided eight assists in all competitions for the Lilywhites last season.

Solanke brings an aerial presence to Spurs that Richarlison lacks. The former Bournemouth striker is better in duels and is strong physically.

As a result, he is less likely to be bullied by teams to defend aggressively, which was an issue for Richarlison against Villarreal. As a result, Tottenham should benefit from his physical presence once he returns.

Tottenham avoided a late scare as they saw off Villarreal 1-0 on their return to Champions League action.

Spurs fans were well up for the return of Champions League football to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Tuesday’s clash.

Luiz Junior scored an own goal inside four minutes and that proved to the difference between the two sides as Tottenham beat Villarreal 1-0.

Richarlison was slammed for cheating in an attempt to win Spurs a penalty, but ultimately Thomas Frank’s side did enough to claim all three points.

However, a late incident in North London left pundit Chris Sutton truly bewildered.

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Micky van de Ven avoided late red card vs Villarreal

Tottenham struggled to really build on their early goal and were nearly pegged back in the final 10 minutes of the match.

Micky van de Ven’s heart would have been in his mouth as he sent Georges Mikautadze to the ground as the Villarreal attacker was chasing down a through-ball.

It initially appeared the referee had pointed to the penalty spot, but instead it was only a free-kick. VAR confirmed the contact took place outside the box.

And there was further reprieve to follow as it was adjudged that Van de Ven did not deny Mikautadze a clear goalscoring opportunity, and therefore he was given just a yellow card and not a red.

However, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s coverage of the game, Sutton said: “The foul is outside the penalty area and if so, surely that is a red card for Van de Ven?

“That is very odd that it’s been awarded as a yellow. That’s a staggering call. It’s a denial of a goal scoring opportunity.”

Mark Clattenburg explains why Micky van de Ven didn’t get sent off

While on the face of it it did seem strange Van de Ven didn’t get sent off, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg explained on Amazon Prime why the Dutchman dodged a red card.

The ball was bouncing away from the Villarreal attacker towards the corner flag, meaning he was unlikely to have had a clear route through on goal.

For that reason, Van de Ven avoided a red. Just as importantly, the contact was a yard outside the box so no penalty was given.

Thankfully for Spurs, they saw out the remaining few minutes and have three points on the board from their opening league phase game.

Tottenham player ratings vs Villarreal – Micky van de Ven superb, 4/10 star embarrassing

Tottenham got their European campaign up and running with a victory as they beat Villarreal 1-0 on Tuesday night.

The Lilywhites will be hopeful of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League this term, and they got off to the perfect start against their Spanish visitors.

Thomas Frank raised eyebrows with his Tottenham team selection for the encounter, with Joao Palhinha left on the bench despite his excellent start to the new campaign.

Nevertheless, the N17 outfit got the job done at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and with that in mind, Tottenham News rates the performance of every Spurs player out of 10.

Micky van de Ven an 8/10 for Tottenham

Micky van de Ven has been crucial for Tottenham since his move from Wolfsburg back in 2023, and he turned in a typically impressive display on Tuesday night.

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The Netherlands international made several crucial interventions at the start of the second half as the visitors began the second period on the front foot, and he played a vital role in Frank’s side notching their fourth clean sheet from six competitive outings.

The 24-year-old’s pace is invaluable to the backline, but he displayed excellent composure on the ball as usual against Villarreal, as he completed 93% of his passes across the 90 minutes.

Van de Ven marshalled the rearguard well for the hosts and was fully deserving of an impressive 8/10 rating.

Richarlison embarrassing in 4/10 showing

Richarlison has enjoyed a resurgence at Tottenham in the last few weeks, but his performance against Villarreal was arguably a step backwards.

The Brazilian’s decision-making let him down on countless occasions as he failed to hold the ball up effectively for his side.

He came under scrutiny once again in the first half, when he went down easily under a challenge inside the Villarreal box, and rightly saw his appeals for a penalty waved away.

It was yet another embarrassing moment from the 28-year-old, who cannot keep being afforded chances to impress time and again.

Richarlison struggled all night at the top of the pitch, and was worthy of little more than a 4/10 rating.

Tottenham player ratings vs Villarreal

Guglielmo Vicario – 7

Pedro Porro – 7

Cristian Romero – 7

Micky van de Ven – 8

Djed Spence – 6

Lucas Bergvall – 7

Rodrigo Bentancur – 6

Pape Sarr – 6

Mohammed Kudus – 7

Richarlison – 4

Xavi Simons – 6

Substitutes

Joao Palhinha – 6

Destiny Udogie – 6

Brennan Johnson – 6

Randal Kolo Muani – 6

Kevin Danso – N/A

Richarlison has been slammed for a moment that took place in the first half of Tottenham against Villarreal on Tuesday.

The Lilywhites are back in Champions League action for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign, and turned in a bright opening 45 minutes against their Spanish opponents.

Thomas Frank handed Lucas Bergvall a start after he turned in an excellent display at the weekend, and he played a major role in his side hitting the front early on, when his cross was turned in by visiting goalkeeper Luiz Junior.

The N17 outfit have made a positive start to a game once again, but Richarlison has still come in for criticism for a moment in the first half.

This article contains exclusive comments from former PGMOL general manager Keith Hackett.

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Richarlison accused of ‘clear act of simulation’

Richarlison has enjoyed a resurgence at Tottenham in the opening games of Frank’s reign, despite the fact that he has frustrated for large parts of his stint in North London.

The Brazilian thought he won a penalty for his side in the first half against Villarreal, only to see his appeals for a spot-kick ultimately waved away by referee Rade Obrenovic.

The striker got his body between the ball and a Villarreal defender inside the area and was felled, but play swiftly continued as normal following a VAR check.

Ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Richarlison was lucky to escape a sanction from the Slovenian official, after viewing footage of the incident.

“It’s certainly not a foul and frankly, I’m surprised it was checked by VAR,” Hackett said.

“The referee should have detected that this was a clear act of simulation, and referees must issue a yellow card to players when they attempt to deceive them.

“Sadly, Richarlison’s reputation for going to ground easily should be known to officials who prepare for their games by looking at previous games of the teams they are going to officiate.”

Richarlison has to do more at Tottenham

Richarlison could be on his way to a new Tottenham deal, but he will need to cut moments like this out of his game if he is to earn fresh terms.

The 28-year-old has struggled badly since moving from Everton, and simply hasn’t shown enough consistency.

Moments like this will not do him any favours in the eyes of Frank, who would surely have rather seen his frontman remain on his feet and lay the ball back to a teammate for a shot.

Richarlison’s decision-making often lets him down, and that could be telling when it comes to the decision on his future at the end of the season.

Tottenham are set for a big night as they return to Champions League action for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign.

The Lilywhites welcome Villarreal to N17 on Tuesday night, as they go in search of three points that would provide the perfect start to their latest European adventure.

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham team selection was always going to be crucial as he faces the proposition of trying to manage the squad across two fronts.

The North Londoners have made a bright start to the new Premier League season, and they will be desperate to continue their positive start in continental action.

Tottenham fans fume as team news announced

Lucas Bergvall was excellent for Spurs in their win over West Ham in the Premier League last weekend, and the youngster was arguably the headline of Frank’s team selection on Tuesday night.

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The Sweden international has kept his place in the midfield trio for the visit of Villarreal, with Joao Palhinha a surprise exclusion from the starting XI after some superb displays so far.

Destiny Udogie’s omission from the starting XI also brought some surprise, given that the left-back is growing ever closer towards his return to full match fitness.

However, it was another issue altogether that prompted frustration from the Lilywhites faithful as the lineup was announced.

Several fans took to X to express their frustration at the graphic used by the social media team, which named the starting XI in number order rather than position order.

There were plenty of calls for Spurs to change the lay out to make it easier to interpret and assess for the supporters.

Joao Palhinha absence is a surprise for Spurs

Palhinha has been a standout performer for Tottenham in the early stages of the season, and it is a bold call for Frank to leave him out of the starting XI for this clash.

Frank has certainly done the right thing to reward Bergvall for his outstanding showing at the London Stadium, but it could come back to bite him by not having the Portuguese in the middle of the park.

The 30-year-old will need to have his minutes managed effectively as the season goes on, but his ability to win the ball back could have been invaluable in this encounter.

Tottenham have a huge night ahead of them as they welcome Villarreal in the opening game of their Champions League campaign.

The Lilywhites have made a bright start to the new Premier League season, and they will be desperate to translate their impressive form across into European competition.

Tottenham will fancy their chances of beating Villarreal to begin their continental campaign in perfect fashion and set the ball rolling as they try and push for a place in the knockout rounds.

Thomas Frank’s men have already come through some big tests in the early stages of the season, and Tuesday night’s encounter is set to be another big occasion.

Tottenham fans will be delighted to hear Champions League music

Tottenham have been away from the Champions League since the 2022/23 edition of the competition, when they were beaten by AC Milan in the last 16.

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They have been through some testing times as a club since then, not least last season, when the stark contrast between their Europa League success and their dismal domestic showing drove division within the fanbase.

However, Spurs fans are sure to be united in their delight when they see this footage that has emerged from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A clip of the famous Champions League anthem being played in the ground has been shared on X by The Spurs Web, and will surely get all fans in the mood to support their team ahead of the huge game.

The Lilywhites have had some famous nights in Europe’s premier club competition over the years, and there will certainly be hope that Frank and his men could provide a few more this time around.

Spurs need strong start in the Champions League

Spurs’ latest adventure in the Champions League begins with some favourable fixtures.

The opening-night clash with Villarreal is followed up with a trip to Bodo/Glimt, who they beat in the semi-finals on their way to Europa League glory back in May.

Tests against Monaco and Copenhagen follow that, and it is vital that the North Londoners can get points on the board from these four encounters, as PSG and Dortmund are both to come in the second half of their league phase campaign.

A trip to face the reigning European champions in their own back yard is daunting as it gets, but aside from that fixture, Spurs must surely fancy their chances of progressing, providing they can get off to a good start.

Ex-Tottenham boss now shock favourite to be new West Ham manager – and it’s not Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho didn’t have the most harmonious end to his spell at Tottenham Hotspur.

Mourinho was sacked by Spurs in April 2021 amid the scandal around the European Super League, with Tottenham going on to qualify for the Europa Conference League that season.

Tottenham have since recovered to win the Europa League, while Thomas Frank has had a great start as Spurs boss, winning four of his first five league games, including a 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in August.

Mourinho, meanwhile, won the Conference League with Roma in 2022 and reached the Europa League final in 2023, but was sacked by the Italian giants in his third season in charge.

Mourinho has been linked with taking the job at West Ham United, with Graham Potter under huge pressure after Tottenham won 3-0 at the London Stadium on Saturday.

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Nuno Espirito Santo the favourite for the West Ham job

The Portuguese manager, however, isn’t the only ex-Tottenham manager linked with the West Ham job.

Spurs sacked Nuno Espirito Santo in late 2021 after a poor start to life in North London, which ended in a 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester United.

Nuno recovered from his spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking Nottingham Forest into the Europa League before being harshly sacked over the international break.

According to Gambling.com, who specialise in comparing and ranking online gambling sites, Nuno is the favourite to take the Hammers job at 5/4 odds.

It was reported this week that David Sullivan has placed the former Wolves man’s name on his shortlist if Potter is sacked.

Mourinho is just behind Nuno at 6/4, having voiced his desire to return to the Premier League while at Fenerbahce, with former Chelsea player and manager Frank Lampard in third at 3/1.

Tottenham have chance for stability under Thomas Frank

Spurs have unearthed a potential gem in Frank, after the Dane did incredible work at Brentford before leaving in the summer.

The manager’s hotseat at Tottenham has been a poison chalice of sorts in recent seasons since Mauricio Pochettino left the club in 2019, with four permanent bosses facing the chop since.

With the trophy hoodoo gone with the Europa League win over Manchester United, and Daniel Levy out of the door after his departure was confirmed, a chance at stability has presented itself for Spurs.

Spurs will be taking advantage of a weekend away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Post Malone is set to take centre stage.

Tottenham travel to Brighton on Saturday, looking to make it four wins from five in the Premier League after a terrific start under Thomas Frank.

With the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium set to be vacant, Post Malone is scheduled to perform in North London on both Saturday and Sunday, following 50 Cent’s performance at Spurs’ ground back in July.

The concert will help recoup funds from a busy summer for Tottenham, who brought in both Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus for high fees.

Here, Tottenham Hotspur News provides all the necessary information about the event.

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Spells of rain expected over Post Malone weekend

Fans attending Malone’s show on Saturday are expected to be hit with a rude awakening in terms of the weather.

According to the Met Office as of 16 September, rain is expected over the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during Saturday’s concert, with a 60 per cent chance of precipitation predicted.

Temperatures are expected to be around 17°C, while wind speeds are predicted to be low at 9mph.

For Sunday’s edition, the rain is expected to clear up, but clouds are still likely to appear, with a 40 per cent chance of precipitation predicted.

However, temperatures are expected to drop significantly, with highs of 14°C expected, which will feel like 11°C.

Driving discouraged with parking limited at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The shows are set to begin at 4:30pm on Saturday and 5pm on Sunday.

Driving is not encouraged around the ground, as is always advised for Spurs’ home games, due to limited parking and controlled parking zones.

Instead, public transport is the best way to reach the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the nearest train stations being Seven Sisters and Northumberland Park, which are a 35-minute and a 15-minute walk from the ground respectively.

Fans are advised to arrive at the ground early to avoid queues. Tickets are still available for both days, starting at as low as £41 per ticket, and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.