Tottenham ace Micky van de Ven backed to emulate Virgil van Dijk if injury-free

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder turned football pundit Jamie Redknapp suggests that Spurs defender Micky van de Ven has the capacity to replicate Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk if he remains injury-free. Virgil van Dijk and Micky van de Ven partner together in the Netherlands defense. 

The 22-year-old has had his fair share of injury problems this season after missing out on ten Premier League games owing to a hamstring injury, but Micky has now played the entire 90 minutes of the last two league games. While doing so, he has also had a massive impact on games, with his thunderbolt strike against Nottingham Forest at the weekend helping Tottenham secure a top-four position in the league table. 

Jamie Redknapp concedes Micky van de Ven’s potential

Van de Ven has been impressive at N17 since his £43 million move from Wolfsburg in the summer, and seeing his impressive outings when fit, Redknapp has compared him to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Arsenal’s William Saliba. Jamie Redknapp insists Micky could have a big future ahead of him if he continues to stay fit. 

“Arsenal fans will look at [William] Saliba, who is a great young defender as well, but I think this guy is equally as good,” he told Sky Sports after the win over Forest (via. Football.London).

“He’s got everything going for him.

“You could see the difference when Spurs lost him when he had his hamstring injuries. I think if he stays injury-free, there is no reason he can’t almost emulate what Virgil van Dijk has done.

“Virgil was a similar age and Virgil wasn’t producing the performances he is right now, he’s only going to get better. As long as he doesn’t get too many injuries along the way because that can affect, with the hamstrings, the speed that he’s got, but he’s a top player he really is.”

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Van de Ven has shown the capability to be an absolute elite defender, but there are still levels to explore in his game, complemented by, as Jamie suggests, his injury frustrations. He has the potential to be at the very top of the game and possibly win some silverware with the Lilywhites.

For now, Spurs and Micky will turn their focus to the weekend as they travel to Newcastle United in a highly anticipated game. A win at St. James Park would put the North Londoners three points ahead of Aston Villa in sixth ahead of their match against Arsenal on Sunday.