Tottenham have had two bids rejected for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, with the player’s Netherlands teammate Micky van de Ven confirming the pair have held transfer talks at the World Cup.
Brighton are now expecting a third offer from Spurs, according to sources, after turning down an initial £70m proposal for the 25-year-old centre-back. New Tottenham head coach Roberto de Zerbi is keen to reunite with Van Hecke, having worked with him during his time at the Amex Stadium.
“Tottenham have had two bids rejected for Brighton defender Van Hecke, with Netherlands teammate Van de Ven confirming transfer talks at the World Cup.”
Van Hecke, who has a year remaining on his contract, is part of the Netherlands squad preparing for the tournament. Van de Ven, also a Dutch international and a Tottenham defender, told reporters the pair have been discussing a potential move. “We’ve spoken about it,” Van de Ven said, confirming the conversations during World Cup duty.
Brighton’s valuation of Van Hecke stands at £70m, a figure the club have held firm on despite Spurs’ initial offer falling short. The Seagulls are renowned for their hard-line bargaining stance, having previously extracted fees in excess of £50m for players such as Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro.
The rejection comes as Brighton’s chief executive, Paul Barber, takes charge of outgoing transfers following the unexpected departure of sporting director Jason Ayto, confirmed on Wednesday. Barber and owner Tony Bloom are understood to have contingency plans in place should a deal eventually be agreed, given Van Hecke’s contract situation.
Van Hecke joined Brighton from Eredivisie side NAC Breda in 2020 for a relatively modest sum. After loan spells at Heerenveen and Blackburn Rovers, he has made 131 appearances for the club, including 36 starts in the Premier League last season. No outfield player in the Brighton squad played more top-flight minutes than his 3,211 in the campaign just ended.
With De Zerbi eager to strengthen his defence and Van Hecke’s international teammate already in north London, the stage is set for a third bid. Whether Brighton will budge from their £70m valuation remains to be seen, but the club’s track record suggests they will not sell on the cheap.