Tottenham have signed Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton in a deal worth £52m, giving Roberto De Zerbi another centre-back for his defensive rebuild.
The Netherlands international arrives after spending the past seasons at Brighton, where he worked directly under De Zerbi between 2023 and 2024. Sky Sports reports that Van Hecke had one year left on his Brighton contract and that the Seagulls have also negotiated a 20 per cent sell-on clause.
It is a major commitment from Spurs, who have already added Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson during the early De Zerbi era. Van Hecke becomes another signing designed to change the way Tottenham build attacks from the back.
Van Hecke gives De Zerbi another ball-playing Tottenham defender
The move follows weeks of Tottenham interest, with ReadTottenham previously examining who Jan Paul van Hecke is and why Spurs wanted him.
Sky Sports’ update says Van Hecke played 50 matches under De Zerbi at Brighton, an important detail because Spurs are clearly targeting defenders comfortable enough to progress possession under pressure.
That matters for Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven as much as it does for Van Hecke. Tottenham now have more depth, more passing quality and another player trusted by the manager, according to Sky Sports’ report on the completed transfer.
