Iconic Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has questioned how the club missed out on the services of Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven.Schmeichel’s queryHaving joined Spurs in Au...
Iconic Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has questioned how the club missed out on the services of Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven.
Schmeichel’s query
Having joined Spurs in August 2023 from Wolfsburg, Van de Ven has emerged as one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
Despite Spurs’ domestic struggles, Van de Ven seamlessly adapted to English football due to his rapid pace and physicality. He was crucial in ending Spurs’ 17-year wait for a trophy as they got the better of Ruben Amorim’s United in last season’s Europa League final.
He missed the North London team’s comeback over Manchester City on Sunday due to injury but his name still came up in the post-match discussions.
Speaking on Viaplay, Schmeichel hailed Van de Ven’s impact, admitting to being puzzled by how United didn’t snap him up.
The 1999 treble winner said [as quoted by the Metro], “I think he is a fantastic player. I think he’s got really, really great instincts, I think his pace, his speed, is so valuable if you want to play attacking football.”
“Playing attacking football, you have to be further up the pitch and that means that anything in this area has got to be dealt with, if it happens between the goalkeeper and the centre-half. If you’ve got slow centre-backs then it is very difficult to play like that.”
The Dane continued, “I think he’s been a revelation.”
“I kind of think sometimes that a club like Manchester United or even Liverpool, the defending champions, they’re looking [for that player].”
“How did they not spot this guy?! He’s a fantastic player.”
Final thoughts
Despite Peter Schmeichel’s insistence, it is difficult to assign fault to United for not pursuing Van de Ven.
The club is routinely linked with dozens of players in every transfer window, and it is a simple reality that they cannot sign them all.
Amid ongoing uncertainty over Harry Maguire’s future, the club may yet dip into the market for a centre-back this summer. Perhaps Schmeichel’s endorsement will then see Van de Ven become a genuine target for United.
Featured image George Wood via Getty Images
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Category: General Sports
