Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly seen an opening bid for Jan Paul van Hecke rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion – but they are expected to return with a second offer.
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It has been widely reported that former Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi is trying to persuade the Dutch defender to make the move to Spurs.
The North London club are said to have made their first formal approach for the 25-year-old centre-back, but fell short of Brighton's valuation. Talks between the clubs are continuing.
Sam Wallace, of The Telegraph, suggested Tottenham face significant competition for Van Hecke's signature, with both Liverpool and Chelsea also monitoring the Netherlands international. However, it has been reported that Spurs believe De Zerbi's close relationship with the player could prove a decisive factor in any eventual transfer.
Van Hecke flourished under De Zerbi at Brighton and remained one of the first names on the teamsheet under Fabian Hurzeler.
Having broken into the side during the 2023-24 campaign, when Albion competed in the Europa League, he has since established himself as one of the Premier League's most consistent defenders. He has missed just six league matches across the past two seasons.
The defender turns 26 this week and enters the final year of his contract at the Amex Stadium. No new agreement has been reached, making Van Hecke a natural candidate for a summer sale if Brighton receive an offer that meets their valuation.
According to Wallace, Brighton value the defender at around £70 million and are determined to secure maximum value for one of their most prized assets.
BBC Sport's Simon Stone reports that Brighton expect Tottenham to return with an improved bid, while acknowledging that the club's hierarchy are likely to have contingency plans in place should a deal eventually be agreed.
Despite growing interest from some of the Premier League's biggest clubs, Brighton remain under no immediate pressure to sell. Van Hecke remains a key figure in Hurzeler's plans, and any transfer would have to reflect both his importance to the team and his standing as a full Netherlands international.
Van Hecke is expected to represent his country this summer at the World Cup.
The former NAC Breda man joined Brighton in 2020 for around £2m and had successful loan spells with Heerenveen and then Blackburn.
Carlos Baleba, Bart Verbruggen and van Hecke have all been linked with a summer switch to Spurs and reunite with De Zerbi.
Van Hecke will be the hardest of the three to replace. The Dutch defender – despite a couple of recent howlers – has been excellent for the last few seasons. Lewis Dunk, 34, remains for another season and Italian international Diego Coppola will return from loan at Paris FC, but is mostly untested in the Premier League.
Olivier Boscagli has impressed when the given the chance this season but he perhaps lacks the physicality of a Van Hecke and Dunk. Igor Julio and Adam Webster are also expected to leave. It’s an area Brighton have to address this summer.
For now, Tottenham have made the first move, but Brighton's response has been unequivocal: if Van Hecke is to leave the south coast this summer, it will be on Albion's terms.