Tottenham have tabled a bid to sign Brighton star Jan Paul van Hecke for Roberto De Zerbi, according to David Ornstein.
Spurs are keen to bolster their squad this summer after narrowly avoiding relegation this season, with De Zerbi guiding the team to safety in his seven games in charge thanks to a 1-0 win over Everton on the final day of the Premier League season.
The club are now desperate to strengthen their squad to avoid it happening again, and after agreeing deals for Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi, they have now made their move to bring in another defender.
Tottenham Table Bid for Van Hecke
Van Hecke, who has been described as 'incredible', has been impressive in the Seagulls defence in recent campaigns, and has been identified by De Zerbi as someone who could bolster the defence in north London.
The Netherlands international, who has been included in their squad for the World Cup this summer, is entering the final 12 months of his contract at the Amex Stadium, and is attracting the interest of several clubs.
But Spurs have become the first club to make a formal move, tabling an official bid for his services.
While the value of the bid is currently unclear, it's reported that the bid was rejected as it fell below Brighton's valuation of the defender, with reports suggesting they will demand as much as £70m to let him leave.
Van Hecke is understood to be very close to coach De Zerbi from their time together at Brighton between 2022 and 2024, and a move to north London would appeal to the 25-year-old.
Van Hecke Arrival Would Surely Mean Romero is Off
With the signing of Senesi already agreed, and Micky Van de Ven someone that the club want to keep, the arrival of van Hecke would suggest that captain Cristian Romero is on his way out.
The Argentine has been strongly linked with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, and while the club tied him to a new long-term contract last summer, they are unlikely to stand in his way if they receive an acceptable offer.
Van Hecke, Senesi, Vand de Ven, and Kevin Danso would provide excellent centre-back options in his absence, and would provide fantastic quality depth and competition for places. This is most certainly a chain of events to keep a close eye on.