Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke, as per TEAMtalk.
The 25-year-old moved to AMEX Stadium from Eredivisie side NAC Breda back in 2020. Initially, he couldn’t break into the first team squad and went out on loan on a couple of occasions to play regularly and develop his career.
However, he has now established himself as an undisputed starter in Fabian Hurzeler’s starting line-up, commencing all 14 Premier League matches thus far this season. He has netted three goals, including a midweek brace against Aston Villa, and has helped his side keep three clean sheets.
Having displayed his qualities in the Premier League, Van Hecke has secured his place in Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands national team squad.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that Tottenham are planning to revamp the squad next year under sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange’s supervision and purchasing a new centre-back is on their agenda.
Spurs have registered their interest in Van Hecke after monitoring his performances closely. They wanted him last summer and remain keen on signing him.
However, purchasing the defender won’t be straightforward for the North London club, as Brighton always play hardball to sell their star players.
Van Hecke to Tottenham
The player has entered the final 19 months of his current contract, and the Seagulls want to keep hold of him by tying him down to a fresh term. However, if Hurzeler’s side are eventually forced to cash-in on him next year, they may demand around £40m.
Van Hecke, standing at 6ft 2in tall, is a technically gifted player and is extremely comfortable playing out from the back. Moreover, he has an aggressive character and possesses the necessary qualities to flourish at the highest level.
The Lilywhites currently have Micky Van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, and Radu Dragusin as the centre-back options. However, the Romanian has been out with a serious knee injury over the last few months.
Therefore, signing a new centre-back would be the right decision for Tottenham, and Van Hecke might be a shrewd acquisition should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services in January or next summer.
