Liverpool face transfer setback from Premier League club to sign Van Dijk’s replacement

Tottenham Hotspur have no plans to entertain offers for Micky van de Ven, despite Liverpool reportedly identifying the Netherlands international as one of their leading defensive targets for next summer.

Liverpool are already looking ahead to life beyond Virgil van Dijk, whose future at Anfield remains uncertain beyond the current campaign.

Van de Ven would certainly fit the profile they are looking for, but convincing Spurs to sell one of their most important players looks anything but straightforward.

Liverpool want Van de Ven as part of defensive rebuild

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are considering a move for Van de Ven as they make long-term plans to strengthen their defence.

The 25-year-old has been admired at Anfield for some time, with his pace, Premier League experience and ability to operate on the left side of defence making him an obvious candidate.

However, Tottenham have no desire to lose him. Spurs regard Van de Ven as a central part of their plans and are expected to resist any approach from Liverpool or other interested clubs.

That stance has only been strengthened by what happened during the summer.

Tottenham deal makes Reds move much harder

Van de Ven signed a new long-term contract with Tottenham in August, which gives Spurs plenty of control over his future.

In the club’s official announcement, the defender spoke about his love for Tottenham and his excitement about the direction of the project.

That makes talk of an easy exit difficult to imagine right now.

From Liverpool’s point of view, though, the interest makes sense. Van Dijk cannot play forever, and finding another quick, physically dominant Dutch centre-back who already understands the Premier League would be an attractive solution.

The problem will be the price. Tottenham have no contractual pressure to sell, so Liverpool would likely need to make an enormous offer just to start a conversation.

For Spurs, keeping Van de Ven should be non-negotiable unless the numbers become impossible to ignore.

After another difficult start to the season, losing one of their best defenders would only create another major problem to solve.