Michael Dawson believes that Tottenham Hotspur have a player who is one of the best in the world in his position.
The current Spurs squad is not blessed with as many world-class players as it was previously, particularly after the departures of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.
However, one player who firmly falls in the category of world-class is Micky van de Ven, who is reportedly on the radar of some of the biggest clubs in the world.
According to reports, Tottenham want to tie down Van de Ven to a new deal quickly to ward off the transfer interest, and one former Spurs man believes that the Dutchman has no weaknesses in his game.
Dawson makes a bullish claim about Micky van de Ven
Some pundits have pushed back against the idea that Tottenham have a world-class centre-back pairing, with many pointing to the number of goals the Lilywhites let in last season.
Dawson has now rejected the claim that Van de Ven’s pace bails him out at times, insisting that the former Wolfsburg man is an excellent reader of the game and up there with the best in the World.
The 42-year-old told BetMGM: “For me, Micky van de Ven is one of the best centre-backs in the world, not just the Premier League. I honestly believe that. I’m a huge, huge fan, and I think he’s got everything. There aren’t many centre-backs around that have the pace he does, but also are able to read the game in the way he does.
“I know people will probably say his pace gets him out of trouble at times but I don’t really buy that, and I think at times last season he was left to cover an awful lot of ground because of the way the team was set up.
“That goal he scored in the Champions League was mind-blowing. For a centre-back to do that was special, and I don’t really see any weaknesses; he’s got all the attributes to go right to the top.”
Dawson believes one Van de Ven quality has come to the fore this season
Van de Ven has been named in Tottenham’s leadership group by Thomas Frank ahead of the likes of Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur, which caught some fans by surprise.
Dawson, who knows what it takes to wear the captain’s armband at Spurs, believes that the Dutchman is undoubtedly a future Tottenham captain.
The 42-year-old added about the Netherlands international: “Without a shadow of a doubt, he’s a future Tottenham captain. I look at Virgil van Dijk, and he’s the benchmark for me in terms of how long he’s been at the top for, but I don’t think Micky is far off that, I really don’t.
“He’s got all the attributes to be a leader, and I’m sure the reason Spurs want to tie him down to a long-term contract is with that in mind.”