Tottenham Hotspur are stepping up their interest in Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.
Multiple sources, led by TEAMtalk, report that Spurs are ready to intensify their pursuit ahead of the summer transfer window. This comes despite interest from Chelsea and Liverpool, who have made enquiries. Roberto De Zerbi had a major positive influence on Jan Paul van Hecke’s development at Brighton, which is now a key factor in transfer speculation linking the defender to Tottenham Hotspur.
De Zerbi publicly praised him highly, calling him “incredible,” highlighting his confidence, leadership qualities, rapid improvement, and tactical fit in a possession-based, high-pressing system. He even described van Hecke as older/more mature than his age and played him in midfield at times.
What lies behind the attraction of De Zerbi?
Roberto De Zerbi is known for a possession-dominant, high-risk/high-reward style centred on intricate build-up play, “press-baiting,” and creating artificial transitions while in possession. His philosophy emphasises controlling the game as the “protagonist,” dictating tempo through patient passing sequences rather than long balls, with a focus on positional fluidity, third-man combinations, and exploiting spaces created by drawing opponents out of position.
Heavy emphasis on playing out from the back with short passes. Goalkeepers and centre-backs are key in initiating moves. Teams rarely go long and prioritise dominating the ball.
Wide players (often inverted or wrong-footed wingers) and full-backs/wing-backs make overlapping/underlapping runs. Midfielders support underneath or push forward. In advanced phases, teams occupy spaces between and behind the opposition’s defensive line.
Requires technically proficient, brave players comfortable under pressure. It can lead to turnovers if executed poorly, but creates dynamic attacks when successful.
De Zerbi’s teams are aggressive, often using man-to-man pressing to win the ball back high up the pitch. They aim for intensity across the whole team, with all 11 players contributing to both defence and attack.
De Zerbi’s tactics are sophisticated and influential (Pep Guardiola has praised him as one of the most impactful coaches in recent decades). They reward technical quality, repetition in training, and collective understanding, but can be vulnerable against well-organised presses or if players lack the required composure. His approach has evolved slightly across clubs (Sassuolo, Shakhtar, Brighton, Marseille, Tottenham) but remains rooted in these possession-first, bait-and-exploit principles.