Porro has become one of Tottenham’s most visible players on the pitch.
That matters in a side expected to ask full-backs to drift inside, overlap, and help control possession. A player in that role sees the game from several angles. He is not just defending his flank; he is helping connect the team. For a coach like Roberto De Zerbi, that tactical responsibility can carry as much weight as seniority.
The report says Ben Davies, James Maddison and Archie Gray would join Van de Ven and Porro in the leadership structure. That looks less like a traditional hierarchy and more like a leadership network.
That spread matters. Tottenham have often looked like a side driven by momentum, for better and worse. A wider leadership group could help steady difficult spells during matches and give the squad more than one reference point when games turn.
If the report is accurate, this is about more than an armband. Van de Ven as captain and Porro as deputy would place major responsibility on two defenders expected to shape the team’s structure from the back. The next thing to watch is whether that authority shows immediately when the season starts - not just in who wears the armband, but in how calmly and clearly Tottenham manage the big moments.