Tottenham star ‘desperately wants to leave’ as Barcelona eye Van de Ven

Micky van de Ven is reportedly pushing for a move away from Tottenham Hotspur, with Spanish champions Barcelona emerging as a surprise contender for his signature.

That is according to Sport, who claim the Dutch defender is viewed as a “dark horse” option as Barcelona look to reshape their defence ahead of next season.

Barcelona are assessing multiple centre-back options as they plan improvements at the back. Their primary target is Alessandro Bastoni, but the Italian’s €80m price tag is seen as prohibitive.

As a result, the La Liga champions are exploring alternatives, including Marc Guéhi and Nico Schlotterbeck.

Among those names, Sport describe Micky van de Ven as an intriguing outsider — a player whose versatility and upward trajectory fit Barcelona’s recruitment profile.

The report claims Van de Ven is one of Tottenham Hotspur’s standout performers and continues to develop rapidly. His ability to play both at centre-back and left-back is said to appeal strongly to Barcelona’s decision-makers.

Crucially, Sport state the Netherlands international “desperately wants to leave” Spurs after the current season and would prioritise a move to Barcelona if the opportunity arose.

For now, Van de Ven is not Barcelona’s top target, but his name is firmly on the internal shortlist should other deals prove unworkable.

Any move would be far from straightforward. Van de Ven is under contract in north London until 2029, leaving Tottenham in a strong negotiating position.

Barcelona would need to open talks with Spurs — something Sport suggest would be difficult — though there is a belief that if Tottenham were to sell, they would prefer the defender to move outside the Premier League.

Adding further context, former Barcelona scout Bojan Krkić Sr. revealed back in October 2024 that he had urged the club to sign Van de Ven, advice that was not acted upon at the time. Now, the Dutchman has re-emerged as a genuine option.

Barcelona’s priority remains securing a top-level centre-back within budget, meaning Van de Ven’s status could change quickly depending on negotiations elsewhere. Tottenham, meanwhile, face a potential dilemma if the player pushes for a move despite his long-term contract.

Much will depend on whether Barcelona shift focus away from Bastoni — and whether they are willing to test Spurs’ resolve.

Would selling Micky van de Ven be unthinkable for Tottenham — or is Barcelona too tempting an opportunity to ignore?