Manchester City have been a bit all over the place at the back this season.
Pep Guardiola’s side have really struggled to keep clean sheets and the team is struggling without Rodri providing that protection.
Manchester City have also had a number of injury problems, with Ruben Dias, John Stones both missing the last few games, and the likes of Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake struggling with their fitness. Kyle Walker has also barely trained this season.
Next summer is going to be very interesting as Hugo Viana oversees his first transfer window as director of football.
A number of new faces coulda arrive, and perhaps City ought to think about one player from Tottenham Hotspur that Jamie O’Hara rates very highly indeed.
Jamie O’Hara claims ‘world-class’ Micky van de Ven walks into Man City team
Over the weekend on talkSPORT, Jamie O’Hara and Dean Saunders were talking about Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Micky van de Ven, who has really impressed since his £43 million move to the club in the summer of 2023.
The conversation went as follows:
Jamie O’Hara: “I think Van de Ven is a world-class player.”
Dean Saunders: “Van de Ven? He has had one season playing in the high line. World class? Van de Ven?”
O’Hara: “Van de Ven is world-class.”
Saunders: “He ain’t getting in Manchester City’s team. He is not getting in Liverpool’s.”
O’Hara: “What are you talking about? He would walk straight into Manchester City’s team. He walks into it.”
Man City should actually monitor van de Ven
Van de Ven is arguably not world-class yet, but it’s interesting to hear O’Hara rate him so highly and suggest him as good enough to get in Manchester City’s team.
Certainly, the way City have been playing recently, that’s actually hard to argue with.
van de Ven is a player who is very good in a high line because of his ridiculous pace. As many already know, the star has been clocked as the fastest player in Premier League history. Earlier this year, he was clocked doing 37.38 km/h against Brentford, making him even quicker than the likes of Adama Traore and City’s Kyle Walker.
van de Ven has come in for a lot of praise since his move to Spurs and looks like a serious talent. He’s someone City ought to be keeping tabs on ahead of next summer.
Ake has struggled with injuries this season, as has Stones again. There’s also been speculation about Walker and how he could move on. It’s been claimed Manchester City would be willing to sell Walker for £15 million next summer.
If Walker left, then van de Ven’s recovery pace would be extremely nice to have.
City have never been linked with van de Ven, but if he continues to play like he currently is, then it’ll surely be hard for Guardiola to overlook him next summer.
City haven’t signed a centre-back since Josko Gvardiol, and potentially next summer it might just be time for Viana to land the club their next.
