Tottenham Hotspur table offer to sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur have accelerated their summer recruitment by submitting a formal opening bid to Brighton & Hove Albion for defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

After securing Premier League survival on the final day under Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs are moving quickly to back their manager and overhaul a fragile defence at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With star centre-back Cristian Romero widely expected to leave north London this summer, securing a commanding, elite distributor has become an urgent priority for the Tottenham hierarchy.

De Zerbi worked with Van Hecke during his time on the south coast, where the 25-year-old Dutchman developed into one of the league’s standout defenders.

Across the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, Van Hecke anchored Brighton’s backline, amassing 3,211 minutes, posting an impressive 87% passing accuracy and winning a combined 209 duels.

His familiarity with De Zerbi’s high-risk, build-from-the-back approach makes him a seamless, plug-and-play leader for a changing dressing room.

Securing Van Hecke will be no straightforward task, given Brighton’s reputation for demanding premium fees for their top assets. However, Tottenham hold an advantage as the defender’s contract expires next year and he has so far shown no willingness to sign fresh terms.

Tactically, Van Hecke offers the blend of defensive steel and progressive distribution that Tottenham lacked during their recent relegation scare.

While Spurs have seen their opening bid for the Dutchman rejected, negotiations with Brighton are set to continue.

Should Tottenham get a deal over the line, Van Hecke would arrive as the cornerstone of a potential new central defensive partnership alongside incoming signing Marcos Senesi.