Story byDREAM £100m centre-back deal is all coming together for LiverpoolAnfield WatchSat, January 24, 2026 at 8:35 AM UTC·2 min readArne Slot gives Van de Ven his seal of approvalIt looks like the Merseysiders are going to have to wait for a new defender - until summer at least when Konate’s contract expires. And one name above all others is beginning to stand out for Liverpool recruiters. It is a face VERY familiar to the Reds’ head coach Arne Slot - who has TWICE tried to sign Micky van de Ven in his career so far. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhen the 24-year-old centre-back was making his way at Volendam in the Netherlands Slot tried to acquire his services for AZ where he was head coach. And when the time came for Van de Ven to move on in the summer of 2021 Slot AGAIN tried to sign him - this time for Feyenoord. Van de Ven opted for Wolfsburg - emerging as one of the finest central defenders in the Bundesliga - before joining Tottenham in 2023. The London side are trying to negotiate a new contract for the left-footer - whose current deal expires in 2029. Spurs want £100m for Van de VenBut with Spurs going nowhere it’s going to be a difficult ask. And if no deal is on the horizon then the Europa League champions will be forced to consider a sale. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhere better than Anfield where Van de Ven has several Dutch national team colleagues and a head coach who has already given his seal of approval?Moreover there is the possibility of work to be done behind the scenes in order to push this deal forward. According to Liverpool insider Lewis Steele the Netherlands’ defender is a stablemate of Reds’ midfielder Ryan Gravenberch. And even more important is the claim that Van de Ven is now ready to LEAVE the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.“Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven shares an agent with Reds midfielder Ryan Gravenberch in Jose Fortes Rodriguez, and is said to be keen to move on from Spurs,” the report reads. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSpurs are likely to insist on around £100m for Van de Ven should he leave next summer.