Brighton and Hove Albion owe Blackburn Rovers - they helped polish a serious gem | OneFootball

Jan Paul van Hecke's loan spell with Blackburn Rovers was his first introduction to English football.

Many will forget that Jan Paul van Hecke's first introduction to English football was not with Brighton and Hove Albion, but a loan spell in the EFL Championship with Blackburn Rovers.

Van Hecke first arrived on English shores in the summer of 2020, joining Brighton in a £2.7 million deal from Dutch side NAC Breda, but he would immediately head back to his home country, joining Heerenveen on loan for the season in the Eredivisie.

Upon returning to Brighton in 2021, van Hecke was still not quite ready to link up with the Seagulls' first team, subsequently joining Blackburn on a loan deal until the end of the season, with the chance to acclimatise to English football and earn serious playing time.

Under then-manager Tony Mowbray, van Hecke was immediately integrated into the Rovers setup and quickly became an important player for the club.

Now one of Brighton's most consistent names in the starting eleven for the past couple of seasons, it was with Blackburn where van Hecke first got a taste of English football.

Jan Paul van Hecke spent one season with Blackburn Rovers and impressed

Following his switch from the South Coast to Lancashire, van Hecke was immediately thrust into the first team fold and the starting eleven, making his debut and playing the full ninety minutes in Blackburn's 2-2 home draw against Coventry City.

He'd predominantly play in a back three system alongside either Darragh Lenihan, Daniel Ayala or Scott Wharton, but shone the brightest out of the bunch.

However, in what was just his fifth game for the club, Van Hecke was shown a straight red card for a horror challenge on Fulham's Harry Wilson, as Rovers would go on to be defeated 7-0 at home to the Cottagers, with the Dutchman given a three-game suspension.

His aggressive nature is something of a double-edged sword, but the then-21-year-old did not let this incident affect him negatively, immediately coming straight back into the starting fold once his suspension was over.

Van Hecke would make 31 appearances in the Championship for Blackburn that campaign, and became the first loanee to win the club's Player of the Season award.

Now, he was ready for the Premier League.

Van Hecke has integrated himself into Brighton's first team fold over the past couple of seasons, and has become one of the first names on the team sheet as a result of his excellent progression.

To date, the 25-year-old has made over 75 appearances in the Premier League for Brighton, and has subsequently been the subject of interest from numerous other Premier League sides, such as Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle United.

Having last extended his deal at The Amex in December 2023, van Hecke's contract is due to expire in the summer of 2027, meaning he will have just one year remaining on his current deal at the end of the season.

With news of the Dutchman being reportedly unwilling to extend his deal with the club, Brighton will have a tough decision to make this summer over his future.

Having established himself as a quality Premier League defender over the past couple of seasons, van Hecke will not be short on offers and the next part of his career could be the most exciting yet.

But it was with Blackburn where he first announced himself to English football, something those in the EFL, and particularly at Ewood Park, won't forget.