Ange Postecoglou expected to hand 22-year-old Tottenham player a key role in defence this season

Add as preferred source on Google

Ange Postecoglou is expected to go into next season with the pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven playing at centre-back for Tottenham Hotspur.

That is according to a report from The Times, which suggests that the new Spurs boss is unlikely to hand Eric Dier a prominent role in his preferred lineup during the coming campaign.

Improving the defence was one of the tasks Ange Postecoglou had to prioritise following his arrival at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Romero expected to partner van de Ven for Tottenham this season

Spurs were shambolic at the back last season. So it was no surprise that one of the first deals to get across the line was the signing of a new goalkeeper, with Guglielmo Vicario replacing Hugo Lloris as first-choice.

Tottenham have now completed a £34 million move for Micky van de Ven. Van de Ven is an exciting talent with an incredibly high ceiling. And his pace looks to be absolutely ideal for Postecoglou’s style.

However, every Spurs boss has put huge faith in Eric Dier in recent years. And van de Ven only turned 22 in April. So there was always a chance that Postecoglou would stick with the pair of Dier and Cristian Romero at centre-back.

But The Times reports that Postecoglou is expected to go with Romero and van de Ven as his first-choice pairing this season. The likes of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga are available for transfer in the final weeks of the window.

It could be a risk to partner Romero and van de Ven. Romero’s talent is unquestionable. But the £42 million star is just as well-known for throwing in a needlessly rash challenge. And he really let Spurs down with his form last season, particularly after the World Cup.

Van de Ven meanwhile, is unproven in the Premier League. So he may need to learn reasonably quickly. But if the pair click, it could be a seriously exciting partnership to watch.