Micky Van de Ven, a 25-year-old Dutch defender with 24 international selections and 1 goal, has been chosen by De Zerbi to lead the team. The decision was made as part of De Zerbi's efforts to adjust the squad, which has seen significant changes in the transfer market. Van de Ven's appointment is the first of five players who will share the captaincy role this season, alongside Pedro Porro, who won the World Cup with Spain, Ben Davies, James Maddison, and Archie Gray.
De Zerbi has explained his decision to have multiple captains on the field, stating that he wants them to be aware of their status. This approach is a departure from the traditional single captain system. The new captaincy arrangement is set to be put to the test in Tottenham's opening Premier League match against Brentford, but Van de Ven and Porro will be unavailable for the game due to injury.
The appointment of Van de Ven as captain is a significant move by De Zerbi, who is looking to establish his authority at the club. With the transfer market still active, De Zerbi will be keen to see how his new captaincy system works in practice. The next step for Tottenham will be to see how Van de Ven and the other captains perform in their roles, and whether the system brings any benefits to the team.