New Dembele becomes Spurs’ most valuable player

The mood at Tottenham Hotspur is already high with Thomas Frank being sacked.

The Danish manager has received much praise for his time at Brentford, guiding them through a period of greatness and improving the team, but there is no doubt that his tenure at Tottenham was a disaster and he was sacked with the lowest winning percentage of any permanent manager in the Premier League.

It’s true that Tudor’s job is dwindling, but the 47-year-old has the management style and authority voice to turn this beleaguered team around.

How Tudor will improve Spurs

Tudor will need his biggest players to rise to the occasion if Tottenham are to bounce back. Cristian Romero and Pedro Polo are among the senior stars who have been flattering and deceiving, and that needs to change going forward.

The former Juventus manager remains calm in a crisis. He will instill the right focus and mentality into a group of players that seemed lost at sea for much of Frank’s tenure.

However, the new coach needs to be accepted by the players. In fact, what Tudor needs is for Spurs’ senior stars to step up, take responsibility and display control and composure on the pitch. He needs a player like Moussa Dembele.

Of course, that’s easier said than done, and as Kevin De Bruyne once said, the retired Belgian was considered “the best in the world” in his prime.

Tudor may have realized he had his own version of the iconic midfielder in his mix, but he’s not really in the middle of the park.

Tudor could win gold with new Moussa Dembele

It’s actually a lie to say Micky van de Ven isn’t in midfield, as the Dutch defender has been spotted running around the center circle at speeds that would make Usain Bolt tip his hat.

Ange’s Spurs system was inherently difficult for centre-backs. However, Van de Ven is still settling into his role in the Premier League and has convinced the likes of Liverpool that he is worth signing for £100m.

In fact, no player commands a bigger market value for the Spurs than the Dutch star, who has been hailed as a physical “monster” by reporter Elliott Jackson.

This is backed up by Transfermarkt, which reveals he is the club’s most valuable player at €65m (about £57m), ahead of Romero and new signing Xavi Simons, with the latter expected to become one of the world’s best playmakers.

That is true, but it is also true that Van de Ven boasts higher technical ability than anyone else. In this he shares something with Dembele, who also had the ability to weave through players in his left-footed career, stepping up and making things happen.

Dembele, now 38, is still fondly remembered for his ability to stand out among his peers, and it’s no exaggeration to say that Van de Ven achieved that.

After all, through a very difficult period for Londoners, he has come out stronger and stronger. For example, consider his accuracy in duels. Last season, Van de Ven only won 48% of his ground battles, but this year he won 62%.

This is most impressive for a Tottenham team that has been so far behind in the competition, and shows that, like Dembele, they are focused on developing their natural talent even when the going gets tough.

The Tudors would love him. Van de Ven is not a perfect player, but he is a unique and coveted centre-back who could prove the difference in the coming months, especially if the new manager opts for a three-man backline. This will unleash the 24-year-old’s athleticism and quickness.