Barcelona to step up Van de Ven pursuit

According to Sport, Barcelona have decided to step up their efforts to sign Micky van de Ven from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

With relegation not off the table for struggling Spurs, a number of players are believed to be ready to leave the sinking ship should the drop really happen. At the moment, they are just four points above West Ham, who top the danger zone with 10 matches left to play.

Known as one of the fastest centre-backs in the game, Van de Ven has been linked with a host of clubs, namely Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, and Barcelona appear keen to beat off the competition for his signature. This season, he’s made a total of 34 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals.

The 24-year-old has three years left on his contract in North London, however, and his services certainly won’t come cheap if Spurs manage to stay in the English top tier.