Immense Tottenham star named signing of the season above Chelsea, Liverpool standouts due to bigger ‘impact’

Tottenham made the most impactful signing of the 2023/24 Premier League when they brought the now absolutely undroppable Micky van de Ven to the club, a former player has claimed.

Van de Ven cost Tottenham close to €50m when they signed him from Wolfsburg, but it has been money well spent. Instantly establishing himself as their preferred left-footed centre-back, the 22-year-old has proven his potential already.

And according to former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy, he deserved to be held in high regard as the Premier League’s best signing this season.

“It depends on whether you are looking at value for money, impact. The biggest impact for me as a signing is Van de Ven,” Murphy told talkSPORT.

“He has had the biggest impact. He is the one player at Tottenham where you think, ‘Oh my god, you don’t want him injured’.

“Everyone else they can cover.

“But I would have Cole Palmer second. [Alexis] Mac Allister maybe third.”

So far, Van de Ven has played 21 times for Tottenham. They have won 12 of those games, drawn six (including the Carabao Cup game against Fulham which they went on to lose on penalties) and lost three.

In other words, they gain 2.00 points per game when Van de Ven plays.

When Van de Ven has been absent, in contrast, they have won six games, drawn one and lost five, which equates to a points-per-game tally of 1.58.

Furthermore, five of the clean sheets Spurs have kept this season have been when Van de Ven has played. They have only kept two without him.

The data backs up the theory that Tottenham are a better team with Van de Ven than without him. Besides, the only other player they can feasibly use as a left-footed centre-half is Ben Davies, who is more naturally a left-back.

Davies was only really considered for regular starts by Ange Postecoglou when Van de Ven was absent through injury towards the end of 2023, reinforcing that the Dutchman is above him in the pecking order.

Is Van de Ven the signing of the season?

Despite Murphy’s comments, cases could also be made for Palmer at Chelsea and Mac Allister at Liverpool.

Palmer has been Chelsea’s top goalscorer and top assist provider in an otherwise unstable team, while Mac Allister has reinvigorated Liverpool’s midfield for just £35m.

But perhaps defenders like Van de Ven go under the radar sometimes, when it is easier on the eye to compare the goals and assists records of players further forward.

Tottenham needed to evolve their defence for Postecoglou’s project and it looks like they got it right with Van de Ven.

There have even recently been rumours that he is attracting interest from elsewhere already, with Manchester United linked as potential admirers.

Thankfully, Tottenham have Van de Ven under contract until 2029.

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