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Former Barcelona scout Bojan Krkic Snr. has revealed that the Catalan giants rejected a deal for Dutch defender Micky van de Ven last year. Van de Ven joined Tottenham Hotspur from VfL Wolfsburg in August 2023 for a reported initial transfer fee of €40 million (via Sky Sports).
The central defender signed a deal for six years, keeping him with at the club till 2029. With that, he also became the longest-contract holder for Tottenham Hotspur since Tanguy Ndombele joined in 2019.
In a recent interview with Cadena SER (via Tribal Football), Barcelona scout Bojan Krkic Snr. revealed that Barcelona rejected the center-back last year. This is despite the scout having him for €3.5 million.
"He was faster than (Kylian) Mbappé. I called them and insisted on Barcelona, because we had him for 3 and a half million (euros). It didn't run at the end ... It was due to sporting reasons," explained the Catalan scout.
Van de Ven racked up impressive numbers in his first Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur. Playing 27 games in the league, he maintained a passing accuracy of 94% and averaged 5.3 ball recoveries per game.
Furthermore, the central defender is known for his recovery pace. With an electric center-back with good ball distribution skills, Barcelona would've been better equipped to stop rivals Real Madrid's frontline of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Rodrygo Goes.
This season, the Dutch defender has played seven games for The Lilywhites across competitions, racking up a couple of assists.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo provides injury update ahead of his return to the Catalan squad
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has provided an update on his recovery process as he nears his return to the squad. Speaking to Barca One (via Mundo Deportivo), he provided an optimistic update while letting fans know of the hardships he faced.
"I'm progressing very well and that makes me happy. It has not been easy, but I have learned a lot, physically and mentally. The recovery is going well. I'm very happy, at the club they are surprised by how I'm doing. I'm going back like a bull," said the Uruguayan.
He also highlighted the pride that comes with being the captain of the Catalan giants, saying:
"For me, being captain of Barça is a source of pride. I feel privileged for it. I know the responsibility that comes with it, but I feel very prepared for it. It comes very naturally to me, I think it's part of my characteristics to be a bit of a leader, I try to be aware of everything, that everyone is well, I worry about where they live and who they live with, if everything is all right."
Araujo picked up a hamstring injury while on international duty with Uruguay in July. He had to undergo a subsequent surgery, keeping him out of action for four months so far.
