'I think so': Pundit claims £43m Tottenham defender is good enough to stop Arsenal star Bukayo Saka

One Tottenham Hotspur player has been described as the solution to stop Arsenal star Bukayo Saka if they face each other.

Saka is one of the best players in the world. He has been sensational for the Gunners for over three years now and he showed his class again in an England shirt in the quarter-final of the Euros.

The Arsenal man is really difficult to play against. When he gets the support he needs, he can be almost unplayable, and that makes him an asset to any team he is in.

England and Arsenal’s opponents must always prepare a plan to stop Saka, and one pundit believes Tottenham have a player who is capable of doing that.

Pundit explains why Micky van de Ven is better than Nathan Ake against Bukayo Saka

The Netherlands take on England in the semi-final of Euro 2024 on Wednesday night.

The Three Lions, who are managed by Gareth Southgate, haven’t had a great tournament at all, but they’ve still managed to make it into the final four.

The Netherlands haven’t been at their very best either, but they are deservedly here and could cause England all sorts of problems at Signal Iduna Park.

Dutch fans are hoping to see their side make it into the final, but many of them are concerned about one England player – Saka.

The Arsenal man is the reason why England are in the semi-final. It was his goal that took the game against Switzerland to extra time, and he even scored in the penalty shootout as well. It was truly a match-winning display from Saka.

Pierre van Hooijdonk, who played for Celtic and Nottingham Forest many years ago, is a pundit now, and he thinks he has a solution to stop Saka.

The Dutchman has urged Ronald Koeman to drop Nathan Ake and use Tottenham star Micky van de Ven in his place. He believes the Spurs defender’s ability in duels combined with his pace will be enough to contain the England number seven.

Speaking on NOS Voetbal’s Studio Fußball, when asked if he would start Van de Ven, Hooijdonk said: “I think so. That really has to do with his duelling power.

“He often takes the opponent with him in his tackle. He’s just in pain, he’s really bothered by it. Also, he can also correct a lot with his speed.

“In my opinion, Saka is the most dangerous player in the English team. You often hear trainers say: we look from match to match. Then you look very specifically at that opponent.

“Then you could well say: ‘Saka is lightning fast, I put Van de Ven against him’.”

Van de Ven’s record against Saka is terrible

Tottenham signed Van de Ven from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023 in a deal that could rise to £43 million (BBC).

The Dutchman was arguably Spurs’ best player last season. He became a fan favourite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and produced a number of exceptional performances.

However, when Van de Ven faced Arsenal, it was Saka who delivered.

The Gunners star scored in the derby at the Emirates and also played a key part in Cristian Romero‘s own goal in that game. Then, in the reverse fixture, Saka found the net again to help Arsenal win 3-2.

The Arsenal man averages a goal every game against Van de Ven, while the Dutchman has conceded five goals in two games when he has come up against Saka’s team.

Van de Ven played as a centre-back in both of those games, but if he gets the nod in the semi-final on Wednesday night, it will likely be at left-back.

It will be interesting to see if he can get the better of Saka in that role.