Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi is eager to reunite with Brighton star.
The work has begun on strengthening the Tottenham Hotspur squad after a disastrous campaign.
The N17 officials have prioritised adding to their defensive unit, as evidenced by the potential captures of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi. With Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin linked with an exit from White Hart Lane, Spurs could at least target another central defender after verbally agreeing on a deal with Senesi.
Roberto De Zerbi wants to bring in players that fit into his vision and style of play, and it has now emerged that he is keeping tabs on a few players from his former club ahead of the summer window. Recent reports suggest that the Italian tactician is interested in reuniting with Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
Jan Paul van Hecke has established himself as one of the reliable centre-backs in the Premier League in the last couple of years. He chipped in with three goals and as many assists in 36 Premier League outings, helping Brighton qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Tottenham tipped to sign Brighton star Jan Paul van Hecke
Now, former Spurs midfielder Sandro has urged De Zerbi to sign Van Hecke in this transfer window. The Brazilian believes the Brighton man “is ready and mature” to play for a big club, appreciating his ball-playing ability and physicality.
“They are talking about Marcos Senesi at Bournemouth, but I really like the defender from Brighton, Van Hecke. I really like him. He’s good on the ball, he played with De Zerbi before, too. He’s not only good on the ball, but he can be very aggressive, and in a way that he’s not stupid, he’s not doing crazy things without the ball, but I think he’s mature,” Sandro was quoted by the Daily Mirror.
“For me, Van Hecke is ready. He’s ready to play because he played under De Zerbi, and he showed that he can play in the moment, that he’s mature, and we need players that are already mature. I think we are now going to the market and have to buy players that are ready.”
Spurs must resolve Luka Vuskovic’s future before going for Van Hecke
Van Hecke played under De Zerbi at Brighton, with the current Tottenham boss hailing the Netherlands international as “incredible” after he signed a fresh deal at the Amex Stadium in 2023. That deal is set to expire in the summer of 2027, putting De Zerbi’s Tottenham in a strong position to try and sign the central defender on a cut-price deal this year.
With him about to enter the final year of his deal and no signs of an extension yet, the Seagulls might feel it is the perfect time to cash in on their star centre-back before they potentially lose him for free next summer.
From Tottenham’s perspective, Van Hecke would be a fantastic fit in De Zerbi’s system. However, before deciding on the future of the highly-rated Luka Vuskovic, who is due to return after a strong loan spell with SV Hamburger in the Bundesliga, the Lilywhites must avoid splashing the cash on the Brighton star.