Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven believes the club’s record-breaking summer spending signals a renewed ambition as the team attempts to move on from a difficult period under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Spurs have invested a club-record £237 million in new players this summer after finishing 17th in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons and narrowly avoiding relegation last term.
Van de Ven described last season as “unacceptable” and said the club’s aggressive recruitment strategy had created a sense of optimism within the squad.
“You can see the club has a new ambition,” the 25-year-old said during Tottenham’s pre-season tour in Sydney.
He added that the club’s transformation was particularly important for players who had remained at Tottenham through the difficult period.
Tottenham went through three managers last season, with Thomas Frank dismissed after less than eight months in charge following a poor start to the campaign.
Interim boss Igor Tudor also left after just 44 days before De Zerbi took over with seven matches remaining.
Van de Ven believes the arrival of the former Brighton manager will bring a more attacking style of football and help restore confidence among the players and supporters.
He said De Zerbi’s approach would place greater emphasis on possession and attacking football, making Tottenham more enjoyable to watch.
According to the defender, the Italian manager has also brought renewed energy and passion to a squad that had been affected by the difficulties of the previous season.
Tottenham have reinforced their squad significantly, breaking their transfer record twice in the space of two days with the signings of Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85 million and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100 million.
The club have also signed Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52 million, while experienced players Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson and Martin Dubravka have joined as free agents.
Van de Ven, who is currently in talks over a new contract after joining Tottenham in 2023, said the new arrivals had quickly settled into the squad.
He added that the team had enjoyed working with De Zerbi during pre-season and was beginning to embrace the manager’s tactical ideas.
With the club’s major investment and a new manager in charge, Tottenham will hope the changes can help them recover from two consecutive seasons near the bottom of the Premier League table.
