Micky van de Ven has described Tottenham’s record £237m summer spending spree as evidence of a “new ambition” – and insists last season’s “unacceptable” near-relegation must become a thing of the past.
The north London club finished 17th in the Premier League in successive seasons and only avoided the drop on the final day. Three managers took charge during the campaign: Thomas Frank, sacked after less than eight months; Igor Tudor, who left after 44 days as interim; and Roberto de Zerbi, appointed in late March with seven games remaining.
“Micky van de Ven says Tottenham's record £237m spending shows 'new ambition' after an 'unacceptable' season.”
Van de Ven, in talks over a new contract after joining from Wolfsburg in 2023 on a six-year deal, said the upheaval had taken its toll.
“Last season was a stressful season, unacceptable from our side,” the 25-year-old told BBC Sport in Sydney, where Spurs are on a pre-season tour. “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.”
Under De Zerbi, Tottenham have broken their transfer record twice in two days, signing midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85m and midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100m. Defender Jan Paul van Hecke joined from Brighton for £52m, with Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson and Martin Dubravka arriving on free transfers.
Van de Ven, critical of Frank’s “safety-first” approach, believes De Zerbi’s style will be far more attacking.
“It’s going to be different compared to the manager we had last season,” he said. “More with the ball, more about playing football. It’s going to be more enjoyable for people to watch because we’ll be playing offensive football. He has brought a lot of passion into our group, a lot in terms of mentality. It is something we needed because everybody was a little bit down.”
The Dutch international, who is with the squad in Sydney, said a full pre-season has been crucial to embedding De Zerbi’s methods. “We have really had the time to bring his football into the team. That’s really enjoyable.”
Whether the record investment and renewed optimism can lift Spurs out of the bottom half – and keep Van de Ven at the club long term – remains to be seen.