Tottenham have completed the £52m signing of Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton — but the deal has already triggered a potential exit as young defender Luka Vuskovic is ready to submit a transfer request after Brighton tabled a £45m bid.
The 26-year-old van Hecke, who had a year left on his contract with the Seagulls, has signed what Spurs called a “long-term” deal. The transfer also contains a significant sell-on fee for Brighton should the defender be sold in the future.
“Tottenham sign Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52m, but young defender Luka Vuskovic wants to leave after £45m Brighton bid.”
“It's a huge honour to become a Spurs player and when you join such a big club, it's a dream come true,” van Hecke said.
He will be reunited with head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who he played under at Brighton after his move to the Amex Stadium from NAC Breda in 2020. The move also pairs him with international team-mate Micky van de Ven, who he lined up alongside in the Netherlands' World Cup opener against Japan, plus fellow Dutchman Xavi Simons, currently recovering from an ACL injury.
“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,” van Hecke added.
Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange said the club had been tracking van Hecke “for a number of years”. Van Hecke made 131 appearances for Brighton and started 36 out of 38 Premier League games for Fabian Hurzeler's side last season as they finished eighth, securing European qualification for only the second time in the club's history.
“Jan Paul is someone I know very well from our time together at Brighton, and I'm delighted to be working with him again,” De Zerbi said. “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 my team to set-up.”
But Brighton's loss of van Hecke has prompted an immediate move for a replacement. The Seagulls have made three bids for Tottenham's Croatian defender Luka Vuskovic, the latest worth £45m. According to sources, the young Spurs defender is now ready to submit a formal transfer request to force an exit from north London.
Vuskovic, who joined Tottenham in a high-profile move but has yet to break into the first team regularly, has been the subject of persistent interest from Brighton. The club's latest offer is believed to have met the player's valuation, though Spurs have so far resisted selling.
The situation leaves Tottenham with a dilemma: they have strengthened their defence with the arrival of van Hecke, but risk losing a promising talent in Vuskovic just as Brighton look to rebuild after losing one of their own stars.