Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a £52m deal with Brighton for Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke – a move that piles further pressure on a congested centre-back roster already bulging with talent, including 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic, who remains the subject of intense speculation despite having never played a senior minute for the club.
Van Hecke, 26, started in the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Japan at the World Cup on Sunday and has a year left on his Brighton contract. The Seagulls accepted Tottenham’s offer after previously turning down a bid, with the deal including a significant sell-on clause. He will reunite with former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi in north London after making 131 appearances for Brighton, starting 36 of 38 Premier League games last season as the club finished eighth and qualified for Europe.
“Tottenham agree £52m Van Hecke deal, deepening defensive logjam as 19-year-old Vuskovic waits for first team chance.”
The arrival of Van Hecke comes alongside the signing of Argentina centre-half Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth and Scotland left-back Andy Robertson from Liverpool, as De Zerbi attempts to rebuild a squad that finished 17th in each of the past two seasons.
Yet the sheer weight of defensive additions has created a puzzle. Van Hecke and Senesi join a group that already includes Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, and the uncapped Luka Vuskovic, who returned from a season-long loan at Hamburg. Vuskovic was shortlisted for the Bundesliga Player of the Season and Rookie of the Season awards last term, scoring six goals from centre-back.
“If he stays healthy enough, he will be one of the top superstars for the future, for sure,” Romeo Jozak, former technical director of the Croatian Football Federation, told BBC Sport. Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic has said the 6ft 4in defender “will be one of the pillars of our national team for the next 10 years”.
But Vuskovic’s path to regular minutes at Spurs looks blocked. Brighton – who had a bid for the teenager rejected by Spurs earlier this week – are among a host of European sides tracking him. Meanwhile, Romero, who captained Spurs to a first trophy in 17 years – the 2025 Europa League – has long been touted with a move away. The 28-year-old played only 23 Premier League games last season and 18 the campaign before because of suspension or injury. Dragusin, who turned down Bayern Munich to join Spurs in January 2024 but has been disrupted by an ACL injury, is also reportedly available.
Should both Romero and Dragusin depart, De Zerbi would be left with Senesi, Van Hecke, Van de Ven and Danso – plus a decision on whether to keep Vuskovic or allow him more game time elsewhere. With no European football next season, the question of who stays in north London remains unanswered.