All the latest team and injury news for Brighton and Hove Albion and across the Premier League
Ex-Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke was sent home to Tottenham early from international duty with Netherlands ahead of next week’s trip to Manchester United after defender
Centre back Van Hecke joined Spurs this summer from Brighton in a £52million transfer to reunite with old boss Roberto De Zerbi and has started the club’s first five Premier League matches this season.
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A trip to Old Trafford is on the horizon for Tottenham on October 10 but Van Hecke faces a race against time to be fit after it was confirmed he would miss the Netherlands’ final two Nations League fixtures with Greece and Serbia during this international window.
“Jan Paul van Hecke won’t travel to Thessaloniki with the squad,” a statement by Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVN) read.
“The defender got injured during the away game against Serbia and will return to Tottenham Hotspur.”
Spurs under pressure
Spurs and De Zerbi are under scrutiny after Van Hecke was one of 10 new signings during a summer where £380m was committed on transfers, but the club are winless after five league matches and a point tally of two represents their worst Premier League start since the 2008-09 season.
Van Hecke excelled during his time at Brighton and made 131 appearances for the Seagulls. Van Hecke’s switch to Tottenham saw young Croatian Luka Vuskovic move in the opposite direction for around £50m.
Vuskovic, 19, has made an impressive start to life on the south coast and has helped Brighton to third in the Premier League table after five matches.