Boulahrouz Advocates for Van de Ven as Future Star

A New Era for Dutch Defense

Khalid Boulahrouz expresses strong confidence that Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven is poised to take over the role of Virgil van Dijk for both the Netherlands and Liverpool.

Endorsement from a Former International

Boulahrouz has publicly suggested that Van de Ven is not only a strong candidate to succeed Van Dijk on the national team but may also capture the interest of Liverpool. In a conversation with ESPN NL, he stated, “I see him as the perfect replacement for Virgil van Dijk, both for the Dutch national side and at Liverpool.”

The Appeal to Top Clubs

“I don’t think Liverpool is overlooking this: if they are on the hunt for a top-tier left center-back and have the funds available, they’ll soon find themselves considering Van de Ven,” he added.

The Future of Dutch Defense

Boulahrouz continued, “Additionally, the Dutch national squad has likely recognized that the successor to Van Dijk is already present. Van de Ven is certainly bringing his A-game. He is both physically imposing and exceptionally fast. Opposing players are beginning to realize that attempting to get past him is often futile.”

Areas for Improvement

While acknowledging Van de Ven’s capabilities, Boulahrouz noted, “He can still elevate his performance with the ball; he occasionally makes errors. However, overall, I think his contributions to the game are outstanding.”