Tottenham have made their interest in Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke clear.
Tottenham Hotspur are facing a major summer transfer window after finishing 17th in back-to-back Premier League campaigns.
Roberto De Zerbi is desperate to strengthen different areas of his squad. The Italian, along with the club bosses, have prioritised addressing the defensive problems, as evidenced by Spurs agreeing deals for Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi. The duo will arrive in N17 on free transfers from Liverpool and Bournemouth at the end of June.
Tottenham are interested in adding another centre-back to his roster after capturing Senesi’s verbal agreement. Brighton and Hove Albion’s Jan Paul van Hecke has been identified as someone who could bolster Spurs’ defensive unit. The 25-year-old, who started for the Netherlands in their friendly against Algeria in Rotterdam on Wednesday night, which they lost 1-0, was a mainstay in the Brighton side that finished eighth and qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Tottenham submit first offer for Jan Paul van Hecke; Brighton reject it
According to a report from The Athletic, Tottenham have made an offer to sign Jan Paul van Hecke. Brighton have quickly rebuffed it as they value their star defender close to £70million. However, Spurs are formulating a second bid to reach an agreement with the Seagulls for the player.
The Dutchman has established himself as one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League in the past few years. A modern-day centre-back with great technical quality mixed with physicality, Jan Paul van Hecke is about to enter the final year of his contract at the Amex Stadium. Yet, the Seagulls have slapped a £70million price tag on his head.
The report adds that other Premier League clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool also hold an interest, but the 25-year-old is well-known to De Zerbi after he played under the Italian tactician during his time in charge of Brighton. The past relationship will appeal to the lanky centre-half to move to White Hart Lane, but Spurs must come closer to Brighton’s valuation.
That will surely be a significant outlay for the Lilywhites, who are eyeing a potential replacement for their skipper, Cristian Romero. The Argentina international has been heavily linked with a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and a Premier League-proven and battle-hardened commodity like Van Hecke would be an ideal option to replace Romero in De Zerbi’s squad.
With just 12 months left on his contract, however, spending £70million is a bit of a stretch, especially for someone who is not interested in penning fresh terms. As Tottenham desperately need an injection of quality to their ailing squad that De Zerbi inherited from Igor Tudor, coupled with Liverpool and Chelsea also keeping tabs, our officials may have to yield to Brighton’s demands for Van Hecke.