Micky van de Ven is a crucial player for Spurs, but what happens when he’s injured or needs a rest? Here, we highlight three players who could come in and be the perfect cover for the Dutchman.
Ange Postecoglou‘s system demands his defenders play a high line. That’s great from an attacking perspective, but when possession changes hands, Spurs are susceptible to getting caught out at the back.
The phenomenal pace of Micky van de Ven goes a long way towards combatting that issue. But, the 23-year-old cannot play every game, and he does seem to be picking up injuries a little too regularly.
So, we’ve outlined three players Postecoglou add to his list of transfer targets to ensure his team has the balance it needs even without van de Ven.
Piero Hincapie
Spurs have been heavily linked with Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie in the past, funnily enough, before they opted to sign van de Ven. The Ecuadorian is left-footed, comfortable on the ball, and has a great level of practical aggression, all of which makes him ideal for Tottenham’s style of play.
He’s not as fast as van de Ven (though no defender is, really), but Hincapie does have a top speed of 33.71 km/h, and an average speed of 31.62 km/h per game. While not exactly rapid, that’s certainly fast enough for Tottenham’s needs.
Goncalo Inacio
Some incredible players have emerged from the Portuguese league over the years, and Sporting Lisbon star Goncalo Inacio is arguably one of the best defenders playing outside Europe’s top five divisions right now. The 23-year-old has a brilliant range of passing, reads the game really well, and loves to break the lines with progressive carries or passes.
Inacio has also hit a top speed of 33.71 km/h, but has a slightly lower average speed of 31.25 km/h. That said, he’s got an exceptional engine, and would be able to sustain a strong pace over the course of a full game.
Illia Zabarnyi
Spurs raided Bournemouth in the summer to sign Dominic Solanke, and if they’re looking for a speedy defender to add to their squad, they could well go back to the Cherries once more to take Illia Zabarnyi. The Ukraine defender is really effective at short and medium-range passing, is not afraid to put his body on the line to make key clearances, and very rarely makes any significant errors of any kind.
Zabarnyi could well give van de Ven a decent race, boasting a top speed of 36.6 km/h, which he registered in the Premier League last season. The only downside is that Zabarnyi is right-footed, but that wouldn’t be the end of the world, especially given how quick he is.