Tottenham star is the ‘best in Europe’ and quicker than Kyle Walker – astonishing stats revealed
Micky van de Ven has made quite the impression since joining Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham project for a reported initial fee of £34.5million last summer (2023).
The 22-year-old ex-Liverpool target has slotted into the Spurs defence alongside Cristian Romero and has even outshone the World Cup winner, who has become no less erratic under the guidance of Postecoglou.
Van de Ven has struggled with hamstring injuries in his first season in England but could be the difference in Tottenham securing Champions League qualification for the 2024-25 campaign.
Football Insider examines the stats – and why the rapid Netherlands international could now be more important than Son Heung-min for Postecoglou.
Van de Ven is the best passer in Europe – is he the new king at Tottenham?
The most impressive element of Van de Ven’s game is far and away his blistering speed.
In January, the former Wolfsburg star recorded an astonishing top speed of 37.38 km/h while playing against Brentford (as per the Premier League).
That sprint has made him the quickest player in top-flight history – with records beginning in the 2020-21 season – outstripping the likes of Kyle Walker and Pedro Neto.
Van de Ven’s insane recovery speed has made him the perfect partner for Romero at the heart of the defence, with the Argentinian inherently the more aggressive of the two defensively.
His pace has helped him record 6.12 ball recoveries per 90 minutes – placing him in the top 10% of Premier League centre-backs (as per FBRef).
The Dutchman is no pushover defensively either and has won 71.4% of his tackles so far in the 2023-24 campaign (as per FBRef) – more than treble-winning Ruben Dias this term.
Also important is the 22-year-old’s lack of game-defining errors – with Romero and ex-Tottenham defender Eric Dier often guilty of landing Spurs in a mess of their own making.
Van de Ven is yet to commit an error leading to an opponent shot while wearing a Spurs shirt in the Premier League.
Another impressive aspect of his game has been his passing, which has allowed Postecoglou to implement the gung-ho brand of football he was desperate to showcase in England.
He has the joint-best pass completion of any player in the top five European leagues (95.3%, as per FBRef) and has found the target with 74 of his 88 passes over 30 yards in length.
With Son turning 32 this summer and out of contract next year – could Van de Ven be the new king-in-waiting at Tottenham?
Postecoglou’s side have lost just twice in the Premier League with the 22-year-old in the side – but have won just four of the 10 top-flight games he has missed so far this term.
Van de Ven is currently out with a hamstring problem and is expected to return after the international break.
In other news, Tottenham transfer details emerge after three offers submitted for forward.
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