Tottenham star Micky van de Ven will be a vital player for Spurs this season following a superb first Premier League campaign in 2023/24. The 23-year-old opted to make the move to English soccer last summer after two years with Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg with three EPL goals scored from 27 top-flight appearances.

Van de Ven caught the eye in Ange Postecoglu's team, for his pace calmness on the ball at the heart of Spurs' defence, with the second-highest pass completion rate in the top-flight (94%). A persistent hamstring injury disrupted the second half of his debut campaign in North London, but he is now back to full fitness, and ready to play a crucial roles for Postecoglu.

Former Tottenham center-back Sebastien Bassong offered his view on the Dutch star's progress and he believes the towering defender is the best in the league. "He's top-notch. Honestly, from last season, I couldn’t praise him enough", as per an interview with talkSPORT, via Teamtalk.com. "Sometimes I go to the game, or watch the game, and people ask me ‘who is the No.1 defender in the league?’ I say van de Ven. For me, he's the best overall player."

"He’s quick, strong and good on the ball. He takes risks. When he's in trouble, he doesn't panic, he's so calm on the ball. He's the perfect player." Tottenham opened their EPL campaign with a 1-1 draw against Leicester City, before securing a 4-0 home win over Everton, with van de Ven completing 90 minutes in both games. Up next for Spurs is a Premier League trip to Newcastle United on September 1 ahead of the international break.

Premier League Team of the Week: Gabby Agbonlahor's Picks

Gabby Agbonlahor had a tough task to name his team of the week after a superb weekend of Premier League action. Chelsea hit Wolves for six, while comprehensive wins for Tottenham and Manchester City meant that there were goals galore for fans to enjoy. And players from those clubs - along with Arsenal, Manchester United, Fulham and Aston Villa also make Gabby's selection.

Goalkeeper: David Raya (Arsenal)

"I actually had Andre Onana to start because his passing was so good against Brighton and he’s come under a lot of scrutiny, but I’ve gone with Raya. His save from Ollie Watkins’ header was the best save I’ve seen for a long while. It was outstanding. To dive one way - a lot of goalkeepers wouldn’t have the agility to get up so quick and get the second save. I thought it was outstanding goalkeeping and that won Arsenal the game because if that had gone in, I’m sure Villa would have held on for a 1-0 win."

Right-Back: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)

"When I watched him in his first two games that he’s been involved in, he’s a defender who loves one vs ones. If you look at the way he defended against Kaoru Mitoma at the weekend, he had him in his pocket. He let him try to take him on but had the pace to get back and so he can defend one vs one, but going forward he’s also very good on the ball. I think that he’s going to be a really good signing for Man United."

Centre-Back: Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

"I was thinking about Andy Robertson at Liverpool, but I like the way that Robinson plays. I’ve watched him a lot recently and he’s got that frightening pace to get forward and back, he got an assist at the weekend and he’s a really exciting player. He’s someone who should be playing for a bigger team and he’s one to watch after a very good performance."

Centre-Back: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)

"He took his goal well. To score a goal from a set piece against a Sean Dyche team it means it’s got to be a very good goal. The way he jumps over James Tarkowski, there was only one player who wanted it the most. But it wasn’t just his goal, it’s the aggression that he now shows in the right way – previously he’d get sent off or commit bad tackles or lose his temper, but now he’s showing it and saying ‘you’re not getting past me’. “He’s a really top defender and there’s a reason why he’s won the World Cup and the Copa America. I think he’s the best centre-back in the league alongside William Saliba. I always look at defenders and think ‘what would I have liked or not liked to have played against’ and he’s one that I’d have hated to play against. I’d have gone to the other centre-half instead of playing against him. He’s got electric pace, aggression in the right way and he’s good on the ball which he showed with his assist for Heung-min Son. He’s so good at coming out with the ball and running the length of the pitch when needed – that’s what he did and it was an outstanding performance once again."

Left-Back: Lewis Hall (Chelsea)

"When you’ve got two defenders like Van de Ven and Romero, you’ve always got a chance. His off the field antics – something that I got in trouble for as well – players have to go through that stage and learn from it. He missed the first game of the season and perhaps luckily because of Bentancur’s head injury, he’s got back into the side. The way he took that goal – his first for Spurs – he smashed it off the underside of the crossbar. It was a great goal and a great finish and all game he was getting on the ball and putting in tackles at the right time. It was a very good performance and he set the tempo for that Spurs midfield. "

Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

"He has to be in there for me. Man City won the league by two points last season – probably because De Bruyne didn’t play for most of the season. Now that he’s back and fit, if he can stay fit they’ll win the league by more than two points this season. Just look at his pass for Erling Haaland’s goal – most midfielders don’t even see that ball but he sees the tiny gap and plays it through to Haaland. It’s just the range of passing that he’s got. It means that when he’s got the ball, any player can make any run they want so for me, it was a very good performance from De Bruyne once again."

Midfielder: James Maddison (Tottenham)

"What he said about Wolverhampton on his private social media, to do that and upset the entire home crowd from the first second and then score a hat-trick against that team shows that he’s got that character and self-belief that he won’t crumble in big situations. I thought he was outstanding all game. He’s a player who a lot of managers would like, but can they get the consistency out of him? He needs to show that to keep his place in this Chelsea side. But to score three goals and the way that he took his three goals, was magnificent. For a player that is left-footed to score two with his right foot, it’s hard for defenders to defend against that surprise."

Midfielder: Cole Palmer (Manchester City)

"Running with the ball, taking players on, physical and strong, I think he’s a really exciting player and one to watch for Lee Carsley’s first England squad. He was a bit quiet against Man City – it was probably the worst that I’ve seen him since joining Chelsea but this week he was maybe in a role that suits him more. Madueke on the right and him in the no.10 position – he was getting on the ball and linking play. He’s a no.10, not a right winger. Look at his goal and the way that he took it – when you look at that goal and see the goalkeeper off his line you think it’s an easy finish but no, that is a tough technique. It was an outstanding goal and only confident players with that swagger would take on that chance. Also to get three assists, yes they were simple assists but if Mudryk had that ball he’d over-pass it to Madueke. For me, Palmer was outstanding all game and when you get three assists and a goal in a game you have to make the team of the week."

Forward: Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa)

"Of course we have to have at least one Villa player per week, that’s the rule, but all joking aside I had to leave Joao Pedro, Jarrod Bowen and Emile Smith Rowe out because this was the most talked about performance of the weekend. He was strong – he looks like he’s put on strength over the summer – he was bullying Thomas Partey and Declan Rice and they couldn’t handle him in that no.10 position. It was his little touches, his turn, running at defenders with pace – I think that he’s going to be a really exciting prospect and to know that Aston Villa only paid £8million, rising to £12million or £13million is such a steal at 22 years old. I thought he was magnificent and deserves to be in the team of the week."

Forward: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

"I was hoping that another striker would catch my eye so I didn’t have to pick Haaland every week, but I’m going to have to because he got a hat-trick again. To score four goals in two games, he’s going to start breaking records that he’s set himself. It was his run for the first goal that gives De Bruyne the chance to put him through before the early finish. Also for his third goal, the goalkeeper didn’t expect him to shoot from there, so to get that accurate shot away from the edge of the box shows that he can score every type of goal. He’s not just a tap-in merchant, he can score every goal and it was another outstanding performance."

The Case for Van de Ven: Why He's a Defensive Rock

As Bassong mentioned, van de Ven's calmness under pressure is a key strength. He's not afraid to take risks, which is crucial in today's fast-paced football, but he's also composed enough to make the right decisions, even when the pressure is on. His 94% pass completion rate last season, one of the highest in the league, is a testament to his ability to move the ball out of defence with precision. Van de Ven is also physically imposing, standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall, and is quick across the ground, making him a formidable opponent for any attacker.

The Future is Bright for Tottenham

With van de Ven leading the defence, Tottenham has a solid foundation for the future. His performances have already convinced many that he is one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and with continued development, he could become a truly world-class player. Tottenham fans will be hoping that van de Ven can stay injury-free and play a big part in the club's push for silverware in the coming years.