If Arne Slot had his way, the athletic center-back could have played for Liverpool.
Micky van de Ven has publicly pondered about the twist of fate that could have resulted in his wearing a Liverpool jersey if things had gone differently with Arne Slot.
Prior to his Premier League tenure, the current Reds manager attempted unsuccessfully to sign Van de Ven when at AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, as the sought defender chose Wolfsburg ahead of time.
Van de Ven reflected on the lost connections, saying, “Arne Slot wanted to sign me for AZ after seeing me play in the first season at Volendam. The club refused to sell me, so I had to accept that they would not let me leave.”
Further describing the alternative road his career might have followed, he added: “When he was at Feyenoord he tried to sign me, too, but by then I had already signed for Wolfsburg in Germany.”
He reflected on the potential if Slot had signed him earlier: “Do I think I would be playing for Liverpool now if I had joined Slot at Feyenoord?” That would have been some sort of fate.”
Van de Ven praised Slot’s impact at Liverpool, concluding, “Slot is doing incredibly well. Liverpool is currently a terrific team, and he is once again demonstrating his ability as a coach.”
He went on to describe his perception of Slot based on their interactions, saying, “Every athlete who has worked under Slot will tell you positive things about him. In the limited conversations I had with him at the time, I had a positive impression of his managerial style, coaching, and football principles. He sees the game very clearly.”
Van de Ven, the Dutch superstar who joined Tottenham for £42 million in 2023, is determined to overcome the club’s 17-year trophy drought. To go closer to that dream, Spurs must defeat Liverpool at Anfield, despite holding a slim 1-0 lead in the Carabao Cup semi-final return leg.
The determined defender revealed that compatriot and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has taken on the role of his mentor: “I definitely wouldn’t mind playing next to Virgil in defence. He is a fantastic defender who is performing well at Liverpool.
“I learned a lot from him. When we’ve played against Liverpool with Tottenham, Virgil still gives me tips after the game! ” “He says things like, ‘Maybe you could have done this or that’ in specific instances. It demonstrates his desire to assist me better my game.”
Tottenham’s goals are encouraged by their coach, Ange Postecoglu, as Van de Ven echoed the manager’s statements from an interview with Dutch journal Helden: “Ange Postecoglu told me about Spurs’ history and that they have never won a trophy.”
“He said ‘I am going to change that and I want you to be part of my plans.'” The centre-back highlighted his passion for both the city and the club, vowing not to stop until they win trophies: “I love life in London, and I adore Spurs as a club. I will not rest till we have won a trophy. “The fans and the club deserve it.”
Van de Ven defied the jinx associated with signing for Tottenham, saying: “I know people say that when you sign for Spurs, you never win trophies. But it will happen, and it is now up to us to silence all those voices.”
While the league crown may elude them this season, Spurs remain in contention on three other fronts, as Van de Ven reminded supporters: “We won’t win the Premier League this season, but we are still in the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Europa League.”
