Tottenham delight as new signing labelled ‘the real deal’ by six-time Premier League champion

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou will be ecstatic after hearing what former Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand had to say about Micky van de Ven, with the defender labelled ‘the real deal’.

Van De Ven was linked with Liverpool after the Reds brought in Jorg Schmadtke as their new sporting director. Van De Ven had made a name for himself at Wolfsburg, and Schmadtke possesses great connections with the German club after spending four and a half years as their managing director of sport.

However, Liverpool snubbed the opportunity to capture Van De Ven as they instead prioritised a midfield rebuild.

That decision allowed Tottenham to swoop in and take the centre-back to North London. On August 8, they announced his signing on a six-year contract, with the transfer worth €50million (£43m).

Postecoglou had decided that he needed a new centre-half to partner Cristian Romero as he does not trust Eric Dier. And Van De Ven has proven to be a brilliant addition to the team.

He has featured in every single one of Spurs’ games so far this season, helping them to keep four clean sheets in the league and go top of the table. Spurs and local rivals Arsenal are the only two sides who remain unbeaten in the competition, and they occupy the top two places.

READ MORE: Tottenham, Chelsea, Brighton on red alert as report confirms Barcelona will sell ‘incredible player’

Van De Ven has impressed pundits and fans alike with his electric speed. But he is also very strong and comfortable at playing out from the back.

Plus, the Netherlands international is left-footed, which means he provides Postecoglou’s defence with great balance.

Rio Ferdinand hails Tottenham player

What makes Van De Ven’s top performances even more impressive is the fact he is only 22 years of age, which means he has plenty of time to get even better.

During an appearance on his YouTube channel, six-time Premier League champion Ferdinand heaped praise on the Spurs star, calling him ‘the real deal’.

“Romero and Micky van de Ven are arguably the best pairing at the moment in central defence in the Premier League on form. They’ve been immense,” he said.

“This Micky van de Ven, bro, he is the real deal. He’s the real deal. I saw his debut the other day for Holland. I’ve seen him right up close twice this season. And he looks supremely comfortable for a young centre-back that’s come into a new league. So watch this space for this kid.”

This is huge praise from an excellent former defender such as Ferdinand. And Ferdinand is not the only pundit to have lauded Van De Ven.

Earlier this month, former Newcastle United and Crystal Palace midfielder Darren Ambrose said: “Van De Ven has impressed me more than anyone because not only has he come in and shown how good he is – he’s quick, strong, and reads the game well.

“Romero seems a different player because he’s got a partner next to him on a level with him now, he trusts him, and they’ve got that partnership built up.”

Van De Ven and Romero will be back in action when Spurs host Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday November 6.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk understands Spurs, West Ham and Brighton are all in the mix to sign a Celtic ace.