Tottenham Hotspur captain Micky van de Ven has disclosed that he has been managing a “strange” knee problem in recent months, which had not been publicly revealed until now. The central defender, who was named captain this summer following Cristian Romero’s exit, traveled with the squad on their pre-season tour to New Zealand and Australia but did not feature in any matches, including friendlies leading up to the new Premier League season.

Van de Ven, 25, made his first start of the 2023-24 campaign after appearing briefly in the Carabao Cup win over Charlton Athletic. Reflecting on his recent struggles, the Netherlands international admitted that the injury presented an unusual challenge for him. “I had some problems personally, some strange problems to be honest, something I’ve never had before,” he said. “Luckily everything is solved now and I’m feeling well, but it’s tough because you come from a World Cup, you don’t have a lot of pre-season so it’s tough to come into 90 minutes in the Premier League, as you know the physicality in the competition is really tough.”

Further clarification confirmed his issue was related to his knee, an injury that partially explains his absence from earlier fixtures. Last season, van de Ven was a key figure for both club and country, making 57 appearances across all competitions.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi, who appointed van de Ven as captain this summer alongside his contract extension, will be hopeful his defender can now return to full fitness after a complex recovery period. Tottenham’s upcoming fixtures will provide the first real indication of van de Ven’s readiness to maintain his crucial role in the team’s defensive setup.