Daniel Levy's shrewd nature at Tottenham Hotspur has served him well throughout his tenure as the north London club's chairman.
Spurs have achieved comparative success over the past 15 years, rising to a sustained position in the Champions League and consistently threatening to secure silverware without actually lifting a trophy.
That next step is crucial, and under Ange Postecoglou, there's a tentative sense of optimism that that goal could be realised, with purposeful signings being made in the transfer market.
Patchy form prevented Tottenham from recording a top-four Premier League finish last term but there was patent underlying progress that is now being reinforced with some exciting summer deals. Archie Gray has already signed from Leeds United for £30m and now focus is being turned to the frontline.
Latest on Spurs' pursuit of Chiesa
According to Football Transfers, Tottenham have the lead in the race to sign Juventus forward Federico Chiesa, with a strong relationship with Juventus swaying the odds as Arsenal and Liverpool also register an interest.
The Italian club need to sell and view Chiesa, who can play across the frontline, as a necessary sacrifice with just one year remaining on his current contract. It's believed that the Old Lady are fielding bids of €30m (£25m), which would be a bargain if the 25-year-old's fitness holds up.
Tottenham are fast improving and nurturing an impressive crop, and it's a testament to the work being done down N17 that there's one Lilywhite whose value eclipses that of Chiesa, just one year after his signing.
Micky van de Ven's market value in 2024
We're talking about the one and only Micky van de Ven, who was purchased from the German Bundesliga's VFL Wolfsburg in a £43m deal last summer as Postecoglou shored up his backline.
Endowed with supreme athleticism and a formidable physique, the Netherlands star shone as he utilised his pace and power to forge a steely bond with Cristian Romero in Spurs' backline, with James Maddison stating such qualities were "frightening".
As per FBref, he actually ranked among the top 10% of centre-backs in the Premier League last season for goals, the top 16% for ball recoveries, the top 2% for pass completion and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90.
Matches played
27
Goals
3
Clean sheets
5
Pass completion
94%
Touches per game
77.4
Dribbles per game
0.6
Ball recoveries per game
5.3
Tackles per game
1.8
Clearances per game
2.6
Ground duels won per game
3.0 (65%)
A truly astounding talent, even described as an "utter freak" by podcast host Michael Caley, Van de Ven's £43m arrival raised a few eyebrows initially; Liverpool are believed to have withdrawn from the race due to concerns about Wolfsburg's proposed price tag.
Might that opinion differ now? Probably. CIES Football Observatory – a research organisation located in Switzerland – have concluded their appraisal of the dynamic defender and marked him with a £65m market value, already £22m higher than Spurs' initial outlay.
It's a significant rise and one that is projected to continue over the coming years. Chiesa, a high-level talent in his own right, is available for £25m in what is £40m off Van de Ven.
Tottenham have a lot to do to reach the desired platform but the signs thus far are promising, and with players such as Van de Ven in the side, lofty ambitions might just be realised down the line.
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ByJack Salveson HolmesJul 27, 2024