Tottenham have completed the £52million signing of Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke in a deal they had to push through after two previous offers were rejected. The 26-year-old has reunited with Roberto De Zerbi, with the manager having worked with him on t
Tottenham moved quickly once the agreement was finally in place, confirming the £52million signing of Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
The 26-year-old arrived after Spurs had two previous offers rejected. with the club now bringing in a player they had targeted for some time. The deal was confirmed on Thursday evening after van Hecke had been set on linking up again with Roberto de Zerbi. the head coach he played under while both were at Brighton.
Spurs did not disclose the length of the contract van Hecke has signed, but described it as “long-term”.
Van Hecke arrives at a moment De Zerbi is trying to rebuild after a “dreadful 2025-26 campaign”. His first big work on the squad follows the arrivals of Andy Robertson and Marco Senesi as Tottenham reshaped their options under the Italian.
The timing also means van Hecke is still in the spotlight on the international stage. He is currently at the World Cup with the Netherlands and played in their 2-2 draw against Japan on Sunday.
For van Hecke, the move carries a personal pull as much as it does sporting ambition. Speaking after the announcement, the centre back called joining Spurs “a huge honour” and said it was “a dream come true” to join “such a big club”.
He pointed directly to the connection with De Zerbi, saying he “already have a really strong connection with the head coach” and that he is “looking forward to working with again”.
Van Hecke also referenced feedback he had received about the club, adding that Micky (van de Ven) “has also told me some great things about the club” and that he “can’t wait to get started”.
He described the prospect of playing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a Spurs shirt as a special moment, saying he has seen it as an opposition player and is now “looking forward to walking out there in front of our fans wearing the Spurs shirt”.
Tottenham’s sporting director Johan Lange framed the signing in football terms as well as character. Lange said van Hecke is “an outstanding defender” who has excelled “in the Premier League and at international level” and that Tottenham have been tracking him “for a number of years”.
He added that, alongside technical qualities and “strong defensive instincts”, van Hecke offers “maturity, character and professionalism”. Lange said Spurs want players who can “contribute immediately” while also fitting into “our long-term vision”, and that van Hecke “fits that profile perfectly”.
De Zerbi, for his part, sounded like a coach getting back something familiar. He said van Hecke is someone he knows “very well from our time together at Brighton” and that he is “delighted to be working with him again”.
The head coach described van Hecke as “a strong, intelligent centre-back” who is “brave in possession” and “plays with personality”, qualities De Zerbi said are important for how he wants Tottenham to set up.
He also praised van Hecke’s attitude away from the pitch, calling him “mature” and “a leader” with “a hunger to learn and improve every day”. De Zerbi believes the defender “has made great progress over the past few years” and can “develop even further here at Tottenham Hotspur.”
Tottenham Brighton Jan Paul van Hecke Roberto De Zerbi Premier League World Cup Netherlands Andy Robertson Marco Senesi Micky van de Ven