Liverpool have conceded 47 Premier League goals this season, and Danny Murphy thinks Micky van de Ven is the sort of defender who fits what they need. The former Liverpool midfielder likes the speed, the flexibility and the Premier League background. He also sees one obvious reason to be careful.

Why Murphy thinks van de Ven works for Liverpool

Murphy was pretty direct about the case for the Tottenham centre-half. "I think he (Van de Ven) ticks the boxes," he said. "I think obviously he's a wonderful athlete, good footballer. Adaptable as well, he can play left-back, left wing-back, he's played different positions for his national team. He's big, he's got presence, he's got Premier League experience."

That is the profile Liverpool would want if they are serious about tightening up at the back. Van de Ven has made 32 Premier League appearances and scored 4 goals for Tottenham this season, which gives Murphy a basis for saying he is more than just a recovery runner. He has also played 8 Champions League matches and scored 2 goals, so this is not a player being sold purely on raw pace.

Murphy pushed that point further in his discussion of Liverpool's style. "I think especially with his pace and physicality, I think if you're going to play front-foot football and go at teams, you need centre-halves who are quick and can recover and he's one of the best, in terms of his recovery, out there," he said.

Why the injury record still matters

Murphy's enthusiasm is not blind. "My only slight concern with van de Ven is his injury record," he said. "I don't think he's played a full season yet and what you want at the back is durable players who can build relationships."

That is the real issue here. The fit looks sensible, especially with Liverpool's 47 league goals conceded, but durability matters more than eye-catching attributes in central defence. A player can have pace, presence and technical quality, but if he cannot stay available, the rest becomes theory.

Murphy also suggested that Tottenham's situation could be part of the wider transfer conversation. "I think the rare moments of, call it bad attitude or ill-discipline, if you like, that have come are probably linked to the horrendous, chaotic situation Spurs are in," he said. "Very rarely do we see him lose his head. He's generally been pretty well-behaved and conducted himself pretty well."

Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League with 37 points and a goal difference of minus 9, so the club's season has been a mess by any normal measure. That does not make van de Ven a Liverpool player. It does, though, help explain why Murphy sees him as the kind of defender who could be on the move this summer if the chance comes.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →