Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke, as per transfer expert Mike Brown.
The Lilywhites enjoyed a bright start under Thomas Frank this season, but have failed to continue the momentum. Following a 3-0 thrashing against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest on Sunday, they have slipped into the bottom half of the Premier League table with 22 points from 16 matches.
Spurs have won only one out of the last seven league matches, losing four. However, they have had a solid Champions League campaign thus far, sitting only one point behind eighth-placed Atletico Madrid.
Question marks have already started to be raised over whether Frank is the right man to take the club forward. However, the Dane has called for patience and believes he can turn the situation around in the future.
In the meantime, Tottenham’s recruitment team have seemingly continued exploring the market to reinforce the squad next year. On Football Insider, Brown says Tottenham are planning to add depth in the centre-back position and have identified Van Hecke as a serious option.
Having already got Cristian Romero, Micky Van de Ven, and Kevin Danso, Tottenham aren’t prioritising signing a new defender in January, but could look to bolster the backline next summer.
Van Hecke to Tottenham
Brighton usually play hardball to sell their star man and don’t want to part ways with him in mid-season. However, considering his existing deal will expire at the end of next season, the Seagulls might be ready to let him leave next summer to avoid losing him for free.
The 25-year-old, valued at around £31m by Transfermarkt, is a technically gifted centre-back. He is comfortable playing out from the back, good in the air, efficient in defensive contributions, and can also chip in with some important goals.
The Dutchman is a Premier League-proven player, and having displayed impressive performances at AMEX Stadium, he has secured his place in Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands national team.
He is currently at the prime stage of his career and would be a shrewd acquisition for Tottenham should they eventually manage to purchase him in a cut-price deal.