Tottenham Hotspur suffered greatly last season, nearly getting relegated from the Premier League with so many stars players looking like they either wanted to leave the club or just genuinely did not care about the future of Spurs. Captain Cristian Romero was one of the main offenders, as was mercenary loan signing Randal Kolo Muani, but most of the squad was in this bucket, including two pillars of the club in right back Pedro Porro and center back Micky van de Ven.
Porro and Van de Ven should be two of the best players in the Premier League, but they were nowhere close to that last season, playing poorly, sulking, and even lashing out at fans as the results got worse and worse for Spurs. Van de Ven, in particular, looked like his heart was out on Spurs, but De Zerbi swiftly pulled him back in and not only got him to stay, but also got the Dutch international and Johan Lange to put pen to paper on a new contract.
And now to start the 2026/27 Premier League season, Micky van de Ven is the new captain of Tottenham Hotspur, replacing Cristian Romero, who joined Atletico Madrid just recently, his old center back partner.
Roberto De Zerbi believes in Micky van de Ven
Roberto De Zerbi said of his decision to make Van de Ven his new captain, which surprised many, via Hotspur Lane, “I think he needs to feel more responsibilities than last season, because I think it shows not all his potential as a player. He’s a top guy, but he’s closed as a guy, and I think giving more responsibilities to elect him as captain, I think is in the middle to become top top top or to stay the big player he has been last season.”
The Tottenham manager has two goals here for Van de Ven. He wants the 25 year old to play his best football for Spurs as a defender and a leader so that they can win matches, and he wants VDV to be committed to Spurs for the long haul as a pillar of the team.
De Zerbi is a sharp manager who understands the psychology of his players as well as he understands the raw tactics. And he sees Van de Ven is someone who does care about the team but will do more if he has more responsibility. For him to stay committed to Spurs and to be at his best, he needs to be challenged and placed as a leader, and this was De Zerbi's way of making that gesture. Now, it's time for Van de Ven to come back from his absence and help Spurs right the ship.
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