Liverpool keen on Spurs defender Micky van de Ven

Liverpool are interested in signing Micky van de Ven from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Premier League leaders need to reinforce their centre-back department, having not done so after the departure of Joel Matip last summer. At the moment, apart from captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate as the first-choice partnership under head coach Arne Slot, they only have injury-riddled Joe Gomez and inexperienced Jarell Quansah as alternative options. Furthermore, Van Dijk’s future at the club is increasingly uncertain as his contract expires at the end of the season, and Konate is reportedly a target for Paris Saint-Germain for the upcoming transfer window.

Van de Ven, currently out of action at Spurs with a hamstring problem, is apparently admired greatly by Liverpool and his abilities are well-known to Slot, who believes his Dutch compatriot has what it takes to play alongside either of his currently preferred pairing. Therefore, Liverpool’s interest in the 23-year-old exists quite independently from any developments regarding Van Dijk or Konate, who have both been offered new deals to stay put.

Spurs will, on the other hand, surely resist any attempts to prize Van de Ven away this summer, but if they fail to secure European football for next season – and it doesn’t look good at the moment – they might find themselves under pressure from the player himself to sanction a sale.