After Van de Ven, Tottenham must tie down 'one of Premier League's most influential players'
Micky van de Ven is the latest to show confidence in the Tottenham Hotspur project by opening new contract talks in North London.
Roberto De Zerbi has welcomed several key names to Hotspur Way this summer, including Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes for a combined £185million.
Following an incredibly difficult 2025-26 campaign, one which nearly ended in relegation, things are finally beginning to look up for the Lilywhites.
While Cristian Romero could be the next defender to follow Radu Dragusin, Luka Vuskovic and Ashley Phillips, Van de Ven doesn't look to be going anywhere.
There were huge rumours swirling around the 25-year-old towards the back-end of last season, but Ben Jacobs has revealed that contract talks have now begun.
Although nothing is confirmed, huge plans are clearly emerging in North London, and another big name needs to be on the list of priority contract extensions.
Micky van de Ven must only be the start of new Tottenham contracts
James Maddison spent most of the 2025-26 campaign on the treatment table, having suffered a full ACL rupture, only returning to the pitch in May.
The 29-year-old worked tirelessly to have an impact during Spurs' battle against relegation, and could now play a huge role next season.
Formerly of Leicester City, Maddison is contracted with Spurs until the summer of 2028, which is now just two years away.
Despite all of the new signings, he is expected to retain his place in De Zerbi's starting lineup, with the hope of him repeating his 2024-25 season of 12 goals and 10 assists.
During the season before, which he ended with four goals and nine assists, Jamie Carragher dubbed him "the most influential player in the Premier League".
Maddison, undoubtedly, has the ability to reach those same heights, and he has the chance to now that he's recovered from such a long-term injury.
Why hasn't James Maddison featured during pre-season?
Supporters will have picked up on the fact that Maddison has not featured during Spurs' pre-season tour, despite returning from injury last term.
Only recently has De Zerbi revealed that the attacking midfielder has picked up a "small problem" and would not be risked due to his issues from last season.
Ultimately, it's a sensible move from the manager and his medical staff, but certainly a disappointing update for those who wanted to see him hit the ground running.
While De Zerbi will have loads of new faces to make up for his absence, there will be very few in the squad who can bring the same level of creativity to the lineup.