Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a £52 million deal with Brighton to sign Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke this summer.
The 26-year-old centre-back has been one of the most consistent defenders in the Premier League over the past couple of seasons.
Van Hecke was in action for the Netherlands just days ago, starting in his country’s 2-2 draw with Japan at the World Cup.
The defender had just one year remaining on his Brighton contract and had shown no inclination to extend his deal at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton had already knocked back one offer for Van Hecke before eventually accepting Tottenham’s improved proposal, clearing the path for his departure.
The deal includes a significant sell-on clause, meaning Brighton stand to profit further should Spurs decide to sell the player down the line.
Van Hecke made 131 appearances for the Seagulls in total, starting 36 out of 38 Premier League games last season under Fabian Hurzeler as Brighton secured an eighth-place finish.
That top-half finish secured European qualification for only the second time in the club’s history, underlining just how important Van Hecke was to their campaign.
The move should see Van Hecke reunite with former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi, who is now in charge at Tottenham in north London.
Van Hecke originally joined Brighton from Dutch side NAC Breda back in 2020, and has developed significantly since arriving in England.
Tottenham have been busy reshaping their squad under De Zerbi as the club looks to drastically improve on back-to-back 17th-placed Premier League finishes.
Scotland international Andy Robertson has already made the move to Spurs from Liverpool, while Argentinian centre-half Marcos Senesi has agreed a transfer from Bournemouth.
Van Hecke’s arrival would further bolster De Zerbi’s defensive options as Tottenham build towards what they hope will be a far more competitive campaign in 2026-27.
