Micky van de Ven has cautioned Premier League rivals to anticipate a transformed Tottenham Hotspur, citing the club's significant financial outlay on new players and a change in management.
Tottenham has reportedly invested £237 million in the current transfer window, securing the services of Sandro Tonali for £100 million, Mateus Fernandes at £85 million, and Jan Paul van Hecke for £52 million. Additionally, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi were acquired on free transfers.
These additions, coupled with the arrival of a new manager, have instilled a sense of renewed ambition among the squad, according to Van de Ven. Speaking during the team's pre-season tour in Australia, the 25-year-old Dutch defender stated that the club's actions demonstrate a clear intent to move past the struggles of recent seasons, which saw the team narrowly avoid relegation with consecutive 17th-place finishes. "It's really good that you can see the club has made some changes. They have brought a really good new manager, and some really good new signings," Van de Ven said. "You can see the club has new ambition."
Van de Ven expressed that the recent investment and managerial change are crucial for players who have been with the club for an extended period. "It's something that's really important for players that have been there for a long time. It’s better when you go with a fresh mind into the new season," he added. "Last season was a stressful season so to leave everything of that behind and go into the new season fresh means a lot."
The defender indicated that the team's objective is to compete for European qualification spots, a standard he believes Tottenham should uphold annually. "Spurs is a team that needs to play Europe every year, so obviously the European spots are something we are going to aim for," he stated. "The most important thing is we play our football, and that we are a difficult team to play against."
A New Style of Play
Van de Ven anticipates a distinct tactical approach under the new manager, Roberto De Zerbi, suggesting it will be more possession-based and offensive. He contrasted this with the previous season's style under managers Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank. "I know that for sure. It’s going to be different compared to the former manager we had last season. It’s going to be more with the ball I think, more playing football. I think it’s going to be more enjoyable also for people to watch, when playing offensive football," Van de Ven explained.
He further noted the positive impact De Zerbi has had on team morale and mentality since his arrival. "The last couple of weeks of last season, you saw he brought a lot of passion into our group, a lot mentality wise, passion wise, on the pitch. It is something we needed because everybody was a little bit down," he said. "We started to play a lot with the ball, because he loves us to be on the ball, he loves to play the football he wants to play, and that’s also something I really enjoy."
Reflecting on the previous season, Van de Ven acknowledged its unacceptability and emphasized the team's commitment to improvement. "Hopefully it will be (a better season). It's something we are going to work really hard on. Make some differences because last season was a bit unacceptable from our side," he concluded.
Tottenham recently commenced their pre-season tour with a 2-0 victory over A-League champions Auckland FC. The team is scheduled to play friendlies against Sydney FC and Chelsea during their time in Australia.