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Tottenham Hotspur star Micky van de Ven has had his say on Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Alexander Isak in a wide-ranging interview
Tottenham Hotspur star Micky van de Ven has opened up on playing alongside Virgil van Dijk for the Netherlands and his toughest opponent.
The Dutchman has emerged as one of the Premier League's best defenders since arriving in north London from Wolfsburg in August 2023. Van de Ven has formed a formidable centre-back partnership with Christian Romero which helped Spurs win the Europa League last season - their first major trophy in 17 years.
And the 24-year-old has now opened up to the Overlap on his career in English football so far - including his relationship with Liverpool's Van Dijk. The pair are set to be at the heart of the Netherlands' defence at the World Cup finals next summer.
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.”
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Van de Ven has also picked out Liverpool's Alexander Isak as his toughest opponent. The Swede has struggled since his £125m move to Anfield, but became one of the world's best 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.”
Elsewhere in his conversation, Van de Ven opened up on how Spurs are targeting a top-four finish this season to qualify for Europe once more next term. He explained: "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."
English (US) ·