Recent stats confirm that Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven has been the quickest player in the Premier League once again this season.
Without a doubt, Micky van de Ven has been a vital cog in Ange Postecoglou’s system since arriving at Spurs. The centre-back adds defensive solidity and stability, and when he’s absent, the team struggles.
That’s because his sheer pace is irreplaceable. No one else in the Tottenham squad comes close to matching his speed, let alone replicating his impact at the same level.
Stats from Opta now confirm what Spurs fans have known all along—van de Ven is an absolute speed demon.
Micky Van de Ven tops Premier League speed charts
Looking at the top speeds reached by players this season, Micky van de Ven is the only Premier League player to break the 37 km/h mark, according to Opta.
He clocked in at a blistering 37.38 km/h, leaving even the league’s speed merchants trailing. The next fastest? Matheus Nunes at 36.7 km/h, followed by Bryan Mbeumo (36.6 km/h), Yankuba Minteh (36.4 km/h), and Anthony Elanga (36.2 km/h).
Not a single other defender cracks the top five. The Dutch centre-back is in a league of his own when it comes to sheer pace at the back.
A key player, but fitness remains a concern for Van de Ven
Unfortunately, for all his brilliance, injuries have been a persistent problem for the 23-year-old pacy centre-back. This season alone, he’s missed a whopping 134 days through injury.
Most recently, a thigh injury saw him sidelined for six games between 2 February and 5 March, during which Tottenham Hotspur lost four of those six matches.
His return, however, made an immediate difference. In the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie against AZ, Spurs won 3-1, with van de Ven playing a major role.
Indeed, the moment he was subbed off, Spurs conceded their only goal of the night. Of course, he also didn’t feature in Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat to Fulham either—yet another example of just how crucial he is to this side.
Micky van de Ven’s injury record
| Season | Injury | From | Until | Days out | Games missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24/25 | Knee injury | 29 Aug 2024 | 9 Sep 2024 | 12 days | 2 |
| 24/25 | Hamstring injury | 30 Oct 2024 | 7 Dec 2024 | 39 days | 8 |
| 24/25 | Hamstring injury | 8 Dec 2024 | 27 Jan 2025 | 51 days | 14 |
| 24/25 | Thigh problems | 2 Feb 2025 | 5 Mar 2025 | 32 days | 6 |