Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a £52m deal to sign Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton, continuing a summer spending spree designed to lift them from successive 17th-placed Premier League finishes. The transfer, which reunites the 26-year-old with former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, is the latest example of the Seagulls' lucrative player-trading model—and raises questions about how many of Spurs' existing centre-backs will stay.
Van Hecke, who played 36 of 38 Premier League games for Brighton last season as they finished eighth and qualified for Europe for only the second time in their history, had a year left on his contract and showed no interest in extending. Brighton had already turned down one offer before accepting Tottenham's bid, which includes a significant sell-on clause that will give the Seagulls extra profit if Spurs later sell the player. Van Hecke joined Brighton from NAC Breda in 2020 and made 131 appearances for the club. He started for the Netherlands in a 2-2 World Cup warm-up draw with Japan on Sunday.
“A £52m transfer shows how Premier League clubs trade players; Tottenham strengthen while Brighton profit and reinvest.”
Brighton have already lined up a replacement, signing Portuguese right-back Costinha from Olympiacos for about £11m on a five-year contract. Costinha, 26, spent two seasons in Greece after 121 appearances for Rio Ave, and Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler said the club had followed him "closely for some time" because of his defensive capabilities and comfort in possession.
Tottenham's summer rebuild under De Zerbi has already brought in Scotland defender Andy Robertson from Liverpool and Argentina centre-half Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth. With Van Hecke and Senesi arriving, De Zerbi will have a wealth of central defensive options: Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, and 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic (who spent last season on loan at Hamburg and is reportedly wanted by Brighton). Romero, who captained Spurs to a Europa League final win over Manchester United in 2025—the club's first trophy in 17 years—has been linked with a move away, having missed games through suspension or injury in recent seasons (only 23 league starts last season, 18 the campaign before). Dragusin, whose time at Spurs has been disrupted by an ACL injury, has also been linked with an exit. Should both leave, De Zerbi would have Senesi, Van Hecke, Van de Ven and Danso as his main centre-backs.
The deal highlights a key dynamic in the Premier League: big clubs paying premium prices for players developed by Brighton's recruitment machine. For UK football fans, it shows how the transfer market can reshape squads rapidly, particularly for a club like Tottenham that needs to improve after near-relegation finishes. Brighton, meanwhile, continue to turn a profit on their investments: £52m for Van Hecke after buying him for an undisclosed fee in 2020, and reinvesting part of that in Costinha.
Q: Why did Tottenham pay £52m for Jan Paul van Hecke? Van Hecke was one of De Zerbi's priority targets because he knows the system from their time together at Brighton and had a strong Premier League season, starting 36 matches as Brighton finished eighth. His contract was running down, which usually lowers a transfer fee, but Spurs moved early to secure a player who can slot straight into the squad.
Q: How does Brighton's transfer strategy work? Brighton buy relatively unknown players from smaller leagues, develop them in the Premier League, then sell them for large profits. Van Hecke cost a modest fee from Dutch club NAC Breda in 2020; four years later, they sold him for £52m. They immediately signed Costinha for £11m as a replacement, keeping the squad competitive while banking the difference.
Q: What does this mean for Tottenham's defence? Tottenham now have seven senior centre-backs: Romero, Van de Ven, Danso, Dragusin, Vuskovic, Senesi and Van Hecke. With no European football next season, not all will get games. Romero and Dragusin are the most likely to leave, while Vuskovic could be loaned out or sold. Van Hecke and Senesi are likely to compete for starting places, adding depth but also creating a logjam.
What happens next hinges on outgoings. Romero has been linked with a move away, and Dragusin's injury record may tempt Spurs to sell. Brighton will use the £52m to reinvest in their squad—they have already spent £11m on Costinha and agreed a £21.5m deal for winger Yohanna. Tottenham's squad for the 2026-27 season will look very different, with De Zerbi banking on a complete defensive overhaul to avoid another relegation battle.