Micky van de Ven says Tottenham’s record-breaking summer spending reflects the club’s renewed ambition and praises Roberto De Zerbi’s impact ahead of the new season.
Micky van de Ven believes Tottenham Hotspur‘s record-breaking summer transfer activity highlights a clear “new ambition” at the club following an “unacceptable” campaign.
Speaking to BBC Sport during Tottenham’s pre-season tour in Sydney, the 25-year-old defender reflected on the difficulties of last season and expressed strong confidence in head coach Roberto De Zerbi.
Tottenham have backed De Zerbi with a club-record £237 million spending spree this summer after narrowly escaping relegation on the final day of the previous campaign. The recruitment drive includes breaking the club transfer record twice in forty-eight hours to acquire midfielder Mateus Fernandes for £85 million and Sandro Tonali for £100 million. Netherlands teammate Jan Paul van Hecke also arrived for £52 million, alongside experienced free agents Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson, and Martin Dubravka.
Van de Ven emphasized how crucial these structural changes feel to squad members who endured back-to-back 17th-place finishes:
“It’s really good that you can see the club has made some changes. You can see the club has a new ambition. It’s something that’s really important for players who have been here for a long time.
“Last season was a stressful season, unacceptable from our side, so to leave all of that behind and go into the new season fresh means a lot.”
Following a chaotic season featuring three different managers, with Thomas Frank lasting under eight months and interim boss Igor Tudor serving 44 days before De Zerbi arrived in March, Van de Ven expects a stark contrast in playing style.
Micky van de Ven backs Roberto De Zerbi’s vision for Tottenham
The Dutch international highlighted the energy and attacking identity De Zerbi has introduced during his first full pre-season:
“It’s going to be different compared to the manager we had last season. It’s going to be more with the ball, I think, more about playing football. I think it’s also going to be more enjoyable for people to watch because we’ll be playing offensive football.
“You can see he has brought a lot of passion into our group, a lot in terms of mentality and passion on the pitch. It is something we needed because everybody was a little bit down. He brings a lot of good energy and, from pre-season, we have really had the time to bring his football into the team.”
Van de Ven, who originally signed a six-year deal from Wolfsburg in 2023, confirmed that talks are currently underway regarding a new contract.
With new recruits fitting into the group smoothly during pre-season fixtures in Australasia, Spurs are aiming to translate their massive summer investment into a complete reset on the pitch when the Premier League season kicks off.
