Real Madrid and Barcelona are both on the hunt for a central defender this summer, and it is no surprise that both are being linked to a number of the same targets. Marc Guehi, Nico Schlotterbeck and previously Ibrahima Konate were all said to be of interest to the Clasico duo, and this week a new name has emerged as a potential option.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Mick van de Ven is reportedly looking to move on in the summer. The Dutchman, one of the quickest defenders in the world, feels the time is right to move on after three years at Spurs, say Indykaila, and would be an option for Liverpool, the club he was a boyhood fan of.
The report continues on to say that he only has interest in a move to another Premier League giant, with the exception of Real Madrid. On the other hand, Sport say that van de Ven is also on Barcelona’s shortlist for the summer. They contradict the first report, noting that van de Ven would be delighted to play for Barcelona. Where they agree is that van de Ven is looking to move on this summer, and has made up his mind.
Recently van de Ven explained that Barcelona legend Carles Puyol was one of his boyhood idols growing up – words that will go down well with any Culer, and perhaps less so with Madridistas. The Dutchman would fit the profile for the Blaugrana as a left-footed option at the back with pace, something missing from their backline currently.
"He brought power!" 💪
Micky van de Ven 🤝 Carles Puyol
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) December 29, 2025
Spurs are unlikely to let van de Ven go without a battle though, and it may require a significant fee to persuade them to do so. Due to Barcelona’s salary limit situation, that automatically would place Real Madrid as a more likely destination.
