Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a move for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, with manager Roberto De Zerbi personally keen.
It has been nothing short of a disastrous campaign for Tottenham, who are just one point clear of the bottom three, despite winning their last two Premier League matches on the spin, most recently picking up a vital three points against Aston Villa.
As such, there has been plenty of speculation surrounding Micky van de Ven, with Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool keen, but there has now been a more encouraging update on the centre-back's future.
Journalist Ben Jacobs said: “You have a profile like Micky Van de ven that Spurs really want to fight to keep if they go down. That’s going to be very difficult, but I tell you something, if Tottenham stay up, my information is that Micky Van de Ven is extremely open signing a new deal.
“Now he’s very happy with Roberto De Zerbi as manager, and De Zerbi coming in has enhanced the chances of Tottenham staying up, that Van de Ven signs a new deal, and [Cristian] Romero still goes.”
That said, with Jacobs hinting Cristian Romero may still depart at the end of the season, ENIC may still need to bring in another centre-back, and they are readying a move for Brighton star Van Hecke, according to a report from TEAMtalk.
The 25-year-old, who pockets £62,500-a-week, is regarded as a 'standout' target for Spurs, and there is a feeling his connection with De Zerbi could give them an advantage over rival suitors Chelsea and Liverpool.
The former Brighton manager is personally keen on a reunion with the 10-cap Netherlands international, who has missed just one Premier League game all season, during which time he's chipped in with three goals and three assists.
Indeed, the Dutchman has been one of Fabian Hurzeler's key players this season, and the Brighton boss praised him in the 2024-25 campaign too, saying: “I think it's very important that we recognise he's a very young player. He's 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he's very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions."
As such, Van Hecke could be a solid replacement for Romero, but Tottenham's number one priority right now will be to avoid relegation, with three crucial games still to play before the season comes to a close.