Tottenham Hotspur know that their fate hinges on their ability to create a winning streak in the closing stage of the Premier League, with the fifth-placed side currently six points behind Aston Villa in the top four, albeit with two games in hand.

The London club's form has been disappointed chequered since a blistering start to life under Ange Postecoglou back in the early phase, though improvements have been made this season and this is the foundation of – hopefully – a prosperous new era.

Regardless of whether Spurs will clinch a spot in Europe's elite competition next year, there have indeed been tantalising glimpses of what is to come, with the £43m signing of defender Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg last summer proving to be one of the catalysts of the campaign forged – and the likely linchpin of the success yet to come.

Micky van de Ven's season in numbers

Van de Ven might only be 22 years old but he has enjoyed a barnstorming maiden year in England, with his performances leading respected journalist Henry Winter to describe him as one of "the buys of summer."

As per Sofascore, the Dutchman has completed 21 Premier League appearances so far, scoring twice, completing 95% of his passes, winning 61% of his duels and averaging 1.9 tackles, 2.7 clearances and 5.7 ball recoveries per outing.

He's the real deal and Tottenham will go from strength to strength with him and Cristian Romero holding down the fort in central defence.

But he's being let down this season, not covered effectively in his backline role. Indeed, Yves Bissouma is starting to present himself as a liability and he must be sold this summer.

Why Spurs must cash in on Yves Bissouma

Once described as a "monster" by journalist Aaron Stokes, Bissouma is losing his way at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, culpable for some poor performances over recent months.

There's no question that he's a highly talented player, ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 14% for successful take-ons, the top 5% for tackles and the top 7% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

But statistics can be deceiving and the Mali international is not protecting the defence and charging the attack with the fluid fortitude needed.

He's not the highest earner in Tottenham's ranks but his £55k-per-week salary does surpass that of Van de Ven (£50k-per-week), and it might be prudent to relieve the wage bill of his signature, freeing up space to move for an improved star.

Newcastle United (A)

4-0 loss

3/10

Nottingham Forest (H)

3-1 win

6/10

West Ham United (A)

1-1 draw

7/10

Luton Town (H)

2-1 win

5/10

Fulham (A)

3-0 loss

3/10

As the table conveys, Bissouma has been on a downward spiral in recent fixtures, his early-campaign imperiousness long in the past, and is failing to hold his own in the engine room as Postecoglou's side fight for Champions League qualification.

This is reflected in his current market value of just £11m, as per Football Transfers, lower than the prices of peripheral midfield teammates such as Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and Tottenham might seek to cash in this summer.

While it's unlikely that Daniel Levy would recoup the same £35m figure that was parted with for Bissouma's signing from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022, when Nuno Espirito Santo was at the helm, there's every chance that Tottenham will move for a new specialist No. 6 in the months to come.

Should this happen, Bissouma will sink further into the fringe, and his valuation might diminish further. He must be sold to continue the revival under Postecoglou's leadership.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.