Liverpool rule out Van de Ven move as Tottenham insist defender is not for sale

Liverpool will not be signing Micky van de Ven from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano stating that neither the Reds nor Barcelona have any intention of pursuing the Dutch centre-back, despite a report in De Telegraaf claiming both clubs had submitted formal approaches for the 25-year-old.

Spurs have made their position equally clear, regarding Van de Ven as a key figure in their squad and not expecting him to leave north London during the current window. The club has already moved to reinforce their defensive options, completing the signing of Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton in a deal worth approximately £52 million.

For Liverpool, the decision comes amid a significant reshaping of their centre-back options. Ibrahima Konate has departed on a free transfer to Real Madrid, leaving new head coach Andoni Iraola — confirmed as Arne Slot’s successor earlier this month — working with a pool of four senior central defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni, and new arrival Jeremy Jacquet.

The depth of that group carries caveats, however. Leoni is still recovering from an ACL injury suffered on his debut last September, while Jacquet sustained a shoulder injury in February in what proved to be his final appearance for Rennes before his move to Merseyside. The fitness concerns of both players may yet influence Liverpool’s approach to the transfer window as the summer progresses.

Elsewhere in Liverpool’s recruitment, Iraola has already seen one addition confirmed in attack. Victor Munoz has completed a permanent transfer from Osasuna, signing a six-year deal after Liverpool agreed a fee of £34.5 million for the versatile Spain international.