Manchester United have scheduled a meeting in hopes of signing Tottenham star with a market value of €65 m.
Manchester United have emerged as serious contenders to sign Micky van de Ven this summer, with a meeting between the Dutch defender and Tottenham Hotspur chiefs already scheduled for the end of the season to determine his future, according to GiveMeSport.
Van de Ven, described as world-class by those who have assessed his best qualities, is understood to be unhappy at Tottenham following another season of bottom-end Premier League survival battles and is pushing for a move away. United are among the clubs who have registered strong interest, alongside Liverpool, who have previously been linked with the 25-year-old as a potential replacement for Ibrahima Konate.
Tottenham have placed an £80 million asking price on Van de Ven’s head in an attempt to deter suitors, but that valuation would drop significantly if the club are relegated to the Championship, a scenario that remains very much in play with four games remaining and Spurs two points adrift of safety. That potential price reduction has kept United firmly on alert, with the prospect of securing a defender of Van de Ven’s calibre at below market value representing exactly the kind of opportunity Michael Carrick’s side would find difficult to ignore.
A source speaking to Caught Offside outlined the situation clearly, stating (h/t GiveMeSport):
“Van de Ven will meet with Tottenham at the end of the season, whether they stay up or not. For now his full focus is on keeping them in the Premier League, but he’ll be aware that clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United are interested, and that could put pressure on Tottenham.”
Van de Ven would likely demand high wages
The wage demands add a further dimension. Van de Ven, Tottenham’s most valuable player, is understood to be seeking a contract worth around £200,000 per week at his next club, a figure that reflects his status as one of the more highly rated defenders in the Premier League when at his best.
There are caveats, however. His season has been defined as much by catastrophic individual errors as by genuine quality, with his red card against Crystal Palace and the costly slip in Madrid against Atletico raising legitimate questions about his concentration and mentality under pressure. GiveMeSport’s own analysis suggests United should think carefully before committing a huge portion of their summer budget to a player whose inconsistency has been as visible as his talent throughout this campaign.
For Tottenham, the prospect of losing their best defender, either cheaply through relegation or at any price to a rival, would represent yet another hammer blow to a club already facing the most consequential summer in its recent history.