Spurs were rinsed of £34m by a talent who earns more than Van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur’s best and worst performances of the current Premier League campaign arrived within the space of a week, with the emphatic 4-0 triumph at Aston Villa followed by a dismal 3-0 loss against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The discordancy on show last weekend seemed to be a startling regression in the usual entertainment provided under Ange Postecoglou’s management, especially given that victory would have seen Spurs reclaim a place in the top four.

Thankfully, Aston Villa drew away against West Ham United one day later, with the fourth-placed team now three points ahead having played a game extra.

Postecoglou will have been left puzzled as his squad trundled to a seventh league defeat of the season, but one obvious point of importance was the absence of centre-back Micky van de Ven, who was withdrawn at Villa Park after injuring his hamstring. It’s nothing serious, but it was grave enough to leave Tottenham nursing a bruising loss without his presence.

Radu Dragusin was signed from Genoa for £27m in January for this very reason but he flattered to deceive on his first Premier League start, caught out by the in-form Rodrigo Muniz and lacking the requisite composure and ease in his ball-playing.

Still, he’s been signed to blend into Postecoglou’s system and, aged 21, has the makings of a top-class defender.

Effectively, he’s a like-for-like replacement for Eric Dier, and despite his tough start for the Romanian, he’s undoubtedly an upgrade on the England international and a sign of progression under new management.

Why Spurs sold Eric Dier

Dier is something of a stalwart down at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but supporters disgruntled with his sale would be few and far between.

Having fallen by the wayside last season – consequently losing his place in the squad under Postecoglou – Dier completed a loan move to German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the winter until the end of the season, with the option to extend for an additional year.

The 29-year-old was out of contract at Tottenham this summer and Bayern have since exercised the option to keep him next term, impressing in the early stage of his Bavarian venture, praised for a flawless start by German publications.

But he didn’t work under Postecoglou and was rightly shipped on, incongruous within the fresh tactical set-up. Upon his departure in January, Dier had featured just four times in the Premier League, with his one start arriving purely because Van de Ven and Cristian Romero were both unavailable.

Last season, Dier played a prominent role for a Tottenham team that was fighting to find the fragments of defensive solidity and command under Mauricio Pochettino’s management, way back when.

The eighth-placed Premier League finish was largely down to the woes in the defensive third, with the 63 goals shipped towering above every outfit bar the relegated trio and newly-promoted sides Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.

While impressive in the air, winning 70% of his aerial battles, Dier averaged just 0.9 tackles and 1.3 successful ground duels per fixture, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, the 6 foot 2 ace currently ranks among the bottom 44% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, which doesn’t align with the playing style Postecoglou is inculcating in his players down in N17.

He wasn’t mobile, aggressive or press-resistant enough for the new way of life at Tottenham and entering discussions for a fresh deal would have been an imprudent move.

Sure he’s thriving for Bayern Munich and good on him, but this was a move that had to be made, especially considering his high salary and lack of impact.

The numbers behind Eric Dier’s Spurs career

Speaking near the start of the 2023/24 campaign, pundit Jamie O’Hara vocalised his opinions on Dier’s role in Postecoglou’s squad, with his sentiments no doubt shared by many of the Lilywhite faithful.

“I don’t think he should be starting for Tottenham. His time is up at Tottenham, if I am honest. I don’t think he’s good enough to play for Tottenham.

“He has been at the club a long time and he has been a loyal servant. But he just isn’t good enough. Tottenham needs to move on. This is the future now.”

The England international signed from Sporting Lisbon for around £4m in 2014 and chalked up 365 appearances for the club before his sale, scoring 13 goals and providing 12 assists, but there’s no question that it was time to move on – especially when considering his salary.

Branded a “liability” by writer Mitch Fretton, Dier earned £85k-per-week at Tottenham following his final renewal in 2020, and when considering his £4m fee alongside his total wages, Dier cost the club a ballpark £34m, steadily draining chairman Daniel Levy.

The fact that he was taking home £35k-per-week more than Van de Ven, who’s been utterly mesmerising since walking through the Tottenham doors, is astounding.

Sure, the Dutchman is only 22 years old and will undoubtedly be rewarded with a new bumper package at some point, but he is already considered one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs after signing from German side Wolfsburg for £43m in August.

The athletic ace also ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 1% for successful take-ons, the top 16% for progressive carries and the top 25% for progressive passes per 90.

Ultimately, Dier’s time was up at Tottenham and while he must be commended for his commitment and years of service to the club, Postecoglou is building a new era that might just end a long wait for silverware, and it was necessary to ship the Three Lions man on.