Tottenham seek to bolster Defence - Tactical breakdown of Centre-Back transfer targets - Harry Kane Transfer Saga

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Interest in Micky van de Ven

According to reputable Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham has entered the race to sign VfL Wolfsburg defender, Micky van de Ven. After conceding an unacceptable 63 goals in the recently concluded Premier League season, the North Londoners, now under the direction of Ange Postecoglou, are looking to rebuild and reinforce their defensive line.

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Only five Premier League teams gave up more goals than Tottenham, three of the five aforementioned were relegated come season’s end.

Van de Ven is gifted with incredible speed and would complement Ange Postecoglou’s appealing brand of football, which focuses on deft passing and a relentless offensive push. The 22-year-old Dutchman is approaching the prime of his career and has the potential to become one of the best defenders on display for years to come.

Van de Ven Fits the System

Van de Ven is also adaptable enough to thrive in Postecoglou’s system and is capable of playing both left back and center back. Van de Ven demonstrates his technical skill on the ball by being a strong dribbler and ball carrier, with the ability to get the ball out of the defense. He is also skilled at blocking, which perfectly complements Cristian Romero, who will serve primarily as a physically aggressive presence in the back line.

Spurs has already spoken with the Dutchman’s representatives and is still keeping an eye on the situation. The North Londoners will need to move quickly to land their man as rival clubs Liverpool and Arsenal have also been linked. There have been reports that perhaps even German giants Bayern will also be competing for his signature.

Wolfsburg has priced Van de Ven at approximately 30 million euros (translated at approximately 26 million pounds).

Tottenham is aware that Micky has publicly discussed the possibility of making a summer transfer this year and the fact that he has been spotted at Anfield in previous years. Liverpool has been reported to have an interest in seeking out and signing a central defender for the 23/ 24 season.

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The Lillywhites and Ange Postecoglou will be hoping that they can convince Van de Ven that this will be the perfect move for both the club and the player’s career. With time and experience, Van de Ven will likely develop into a great defender. Tottenham could secure a legitimate star for the future at an affordable price if they act quickly.

It will be interesting to see who the Lilywhites choose as the summer goes on, as Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba is also on their radar amongst a few others.

It is widely believed that the Burkina Faso international is near the top of their list of targets. An encouraging development is that negotiations to sign the defender to Spurs are “progressing”.

It has been said that Tapsoba is “willing” to relocate to north London, according to what his representatives have indicated. The Lillywhites are actively pursuing the African, but other teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle, and even Arsenal are also reportedly interested in signing the 24-year-old central defender.

This comes after Spurs scouts recently went on trips to watch Tapsoba’s teammate Piero Hincapie and apparently left very impressed with the defender’s displays.

Transfer Target: Edmond Tapsoba

Tapsoba’s reliability

The only member of Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen team who featured more than Tapsoba in the German Bundesliga last season, was goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. Tapsoba has otherwise proven to be virtually untouchable in their starting eleven in the previous campaign. In the domestic league, Tapsoba outperformed all of his Leverkusen teammates except fellow defender Jonathan Tah in terms of clearances per 90, demonstrating his reliability and dependability in the heart of central defense.

Statistical comparison of Tottenham’s centre-back targets versus their current centre-backs

Conclusion

There have also been links to other defensive players such as: Harry Haguire, Marc Guehi and a permanent move for Clement Lenglet, who was previously on loan. Watch the remainder of the transfer window closely, as it is evident that, with all these links, in addition to the signing of Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, the Tottenham Hotspurs are actively aiming to replenish and reinforce their defensive structure in a way that will not only provide a back line that will prove to be less porous, but also fits in the style and system of the new gaffer.