Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the signing of Netherlands centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of £52 million, with the 26-year-old agreeing to a long-term contract at the club.

Van Hecke had one year remaining on his deal at the Amex Stadium before making the switch to north London. The transfer includes a notable sell-on clause that would benefit Brighton should Van Hecke move on in the future.

A reunion with De Zerbi

The signing brings Van Hecke back under the management of head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who first worked with the defender after Van Hecke joined Brighton from NAC Breda in 2020. De Zerbi wasted no time in praising his new arrival.

"Jan Paul is someone I know very well from our time together at Brighton, and I'm delighted to be working with him again. He is a strong, intelligent centre-back who is brave in possession and plays with personality. Those are important qualities for the way I want our team to set-up,"

Van Hecke made 131 appearances for Brighton in total and was a near-ever-present last season, starting 36 of 38 Premier League matches as Fabian Hurzeler's side finished eighth — a result that earned them a place in European competition for only the second time in the club's history.

Dutch connections at Spurs

The move also sees Van Hecke reunite with Netherlands international team-mate Micky van de Ven, alongside whom he lined up in the Netherlands' World Cup opener against Japan. He will also link up with fellow Dutchman Xavi Simons, who is currently recovering from an ACL injury.

Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange revealed that the club had been monitoring Van Hecke for several years before finalising the deal.

Van Hecke expressed his excitement at joining the club, saying: "It's a huge honour to become a Spurs player and when you join such a big club, it's a dream come true. I already have a really strong connection with the head coach, who I'm looking forward to working with again. Micky has also told me some great things about the club, so I can't wait to get started."