Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement with Brighton to sign Dutch centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke in a deal worth £52 million, with the 26-year-old having featured in Netherlands' 2-2 draw against Japan at the World Cup on Sunday.

Van Hecke had just one year remaining on his Brighton contract and had shown no desire to extend it. Brighton initially rejected an earlier approach for the defender, who arrived at the club from NAC Breda in 2020, but have now accepted Spurs' revised offer.

Reuniting with De Zerbi

The transfer paves the way for Van Hecke to work once again under Roberto de Zerbi — his former manager at Brighton — who is now in charge at Spurs' north London base.

During his time with Brighton, Van Hecke made 131 appearances for the Seagulls. Last season under Fabian Hurzeler, he started 36 of 38 Premier League matches as Brighton secured an eighth-place finish — only the second time in the club's history that they qualified for European competition.

Spurs building under De Zerbi

The signing of Van Hecke forms part of a broader recruitment drive at Tottenham Hotspur, who are determined to move on from back-to-back 17th-place Premier League finishes.

De Zerbi has already welcomed Scotland left-back Andy Robertson, who joined from Liverpool, as well as Argentinian centre-half Marcos Senesi, who agreed a move from Bournemouth. Van Hecke would add further defensive solidity to a squad being rebuilt around the new head coach's demands.