Tottenham Hotspur has signed its next defensive reinforcement. Dutch World Cup veteran Jan Paul van Hecke is joining from Brighton and will be reunited with an old acquaintance.
Following the signings of Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson, Tottenham Hotspur has signed another defender to shore up what was the fourth-worst defense last season (57 goals conceded). Jan Paul van Hecke is transferring from Brighton & Hove Albion to the Spurs. The club announced this on Thursday evening. According to “The Athletic,” Brighton will receive approximately 60 million euros for the 26-year-old, who has signed a long-term contract.
“He is an outstanding defender who has impressed both in the Premier League and at the international level, and whom we have been monitoring for several years,” emphasized Spurs sporting director Johan Lange. In addition to his technical skills and strong defensive instincts, he also brings maturity and character to the team, according to Lange.
De Zerbi: “He plays with a lot of personality”
The center back now has 106 Premier League appearances under his belt and recorded the second-most passes (2,500) and the third-most touches last season. In addition to his strong defensive work—Brighton had the league’s third-best defense, conceding just 46 goals—the towering defender also proved a constant threat going forward. The Dutchman scored three goals and recorded three assists last season.
Van Hecke is already raving about his future club and will be reunited with an old acquaintance at the Lilywhites in former Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi: “It’s a great honor to become a Spurs player. Joining such a big club is a dream come true for me. I already have a very good rapport with the head coach and am looking forward to working with him again.”
De Zerbi is also excited about the collaboration and already has clear expectations for van Hecke: “He’s a strong, intelligent center back who plays boldly when we have the ball and brings a lot of personality to the game. Those are important qualities for the style of play I envision for our team.”
World Cup debut for the Netherlands against Japan
At the tender age of 20, after just one professional season with NAC Breda, van Hecke moved to Brighton. However, due to several loan spells (SC Heerenveen, Blackburn Rovers), he didn’t make his debut for the Seagulls until the start of the 2022–23 season. The team achieved the most successful season in club history, finishing in sixth place and qualifying for international competition for the first time. The skilled defender matured into a regular starter on England’s south coast under De Zerbi and played in 39 competitive matches the following season.
Van Hecke has also secured a regular spot on the national team. After making his debut for the Dutch U-21 national team in June 2022, he earned his first senior cap for the Oranje in September 2024 during a 2-2 draw against Germany and has since appeared in a total of 13 international matches. Van Hecke has also gotten a taste of the World Cup. In last Sunday’s 2–2 draw against Japan, he started alongside Virgil van Dijk.