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Tottenham Hotspur star Micky van de Ven has spoken candidly about partnering Virgil van Dijk for the Netherlands and revealed his toughest opponent.
The Dutchman has established himself as one of the Premier League's finest defenders since his move to north London from Wolfsburg in August 2023. Van de Ven has forged a commanding centre-back partnership with Christian Romero which propelled Spurs to Europa League glory last season - their first major silverware in 17 years.
The 24 year old has now discussed his English football journey with the Overlap - including his bond with Liverpool's Van Dijk. The duo are expected to anchor the Netherlands' defence at next summer's World Cup finals.
He said: "We have a good relationship – we speak on the pitch, and I also speak with him off the pitch. Everybody can see he's an unbelievable defender.
"It's always good to play next to him because you always know what he can do. You trust him and you know what he can do, and what he can bring into the game – I have a good relationship with him."
Van de Ven has also identified Liverpool's Alexander Isak as his most challenging opponent. The Swede has endured difficulties since his switch to Anfield, but established himself as one of the world's elite strikers at Newcastle.
He added: "Last season, we played against Newcastle in the game we lost and I slipped, Alexander Isak was different level.
"At this point, I knew he was a top player. I always knew he was good, but this game was when I saw it first-hand.
"His movement, he's technical, he's fast and he's a top finisher, and he's just an all-round top player."
In the same conversation, Van de Ven shared Spurs' ambitions for a top-four finish this season to secure European football next term. He elaborated: "Our aim for this season is to make sure that we're playing Champions League football again.
"Top four or five is what we want. Every team in the Premier League is good. Every away game is tough, and even at home.
"If you're feeling 90 per cent before a game, you're likely to lose or drop points. Everyone can beat everyone, and the league is crazy.
"Look at a team like Aston Villa, at the start of the season, they were struggling, but now, they're just behind Arsenal.
"This time of the season, around December and January, I think this is when we're going to start seeing the gaps forming in the Premier League table."
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