Micky van de Ven has made quite the start to his Tottenham career following his summer transfer from Wolfsburg. Earning rave reviews in his two years with the Bundesliga club following his switch from Volendam, Spurs parted with £43million for his services as they looked to take their backline to the very next level.

The 22-year-old has helped the Lilywhites do exactly that since making his Premier League debut in the 2-2 draw at Brentford. Making 11 appearances for his new club so far, Van de Ven has fully deserved all the plaudits that have come his way after an extraordinary start to his Tottenham career under Ange Postecoglou.

Van de Ven may only have made ten Premier League appearances but he already looks to be one of the best centre-backs in the top flight. A very good defender first of all, the Dutchman, who is blessed with pace, is excellent on the ball and at reading the game and it comes as no surprise to see why so many people are waxing lyrical about him.

Postecoglou clearly knew that van de Ven, who was previously linked with Liverpool, was the centre-back to transform Tottenham's backline and the deal to bring him to N17 has so far proved to be a transfer masterstroke by both the head coach and club. Now a Netherlands international after making such a promising start to life at Tottenham, Van de Ven is only going to keep improving as a player and continue to get better and better with the more football he plays.

Following Manchester United's 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle United on Wednesday evening, Van de Ven was namechecked by Paul Merson on Soccer Special on Sky Sports. Given United's terrible form and struggles at the back, the former Arsenal man has questioned why Erik ten Hag did not make a summer move for his fellow Dutchman.

“I would be asking questions,” said Merson. “If I owned the club. I would be sitting there now and I would be going to you as the manager ‘Why didn’t we get the lad at Tottenham? He’s Dutch. You are Dutch. You know the league. You know the players. Why is he at Tottenham and he isn’t here? And we haven’t got a centre-half’.

READ MORE:Alejo Veliz has just demonstrated his biggest Tottenham strength as striker comparison evident

READ MORE:Ange Postecoglou could be handed dream Alfie Devine Tottenham scenario after Carabao Cup heroics

“No disrespect to [Jonny] Evans. But you are playing a 30-odd-year-old next to [Harry] Maguire. [Raphael] Varane can’t get fit. [Victor] Lindelof, I don’t think is a real centre-half, if I am being totally honest. I wouldn’t mind him marking me.

“Then you are looking at this player [Van de Ven], who is one of the best centre-halves in the league, at the moment. And he isn’t playing for Man United. He wasn’t £80-90million. Serious questions.”

The £43million Tottenham paid for Van de Ven is looking to be quite the snip going on the player's start to life in the Premier League and the fact there is still so much more to come from him. The youngster maybe did not cost £80-90million as mentioned by Merson but one thing for sure is that his transfer valuation will continue to skyrocket if he continues to progress at his current rate.

Making a number of smart acquisitions this summer to help Tottenham progress on the pitch and lead the way in the Premier League, Van de Ven has proved to be a transformative signing for the football club. Manchester United's loss is certainly Postecoglou and Tottenham's gain.