Tottenham have completed the signing of Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke for a £52million fee.
Daily Mail Sport reported on Tuesday that Spurs had agreed a deal for the defender after seeing two previous offers rejected.
However, the 26-year-old was set on teaming up with Roberto de Zerbi, who he played under on the south coast, and the transfer was confirmed on Thursday evening.
Spurs didn’t confirm the length of the contract the defender van Hecke had signed, but revealed it was ‘long-term’.
The centre back, who is currently at the World Cup with the Netherlands and played in their 2-2 draw against Japan on Sunday, follows the arrivals of Andy Robertson and Marco Senesi as De Zerbi attempts to reshape his squad after a dreadful 2025-26 campaign.
Speaking after the move, van Hecke said: ‘It’s a huge honour to become a Spurs player and when you join such a big club, it’s a dream come true.
Tottenham have completed the signing of Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke for a £52m fee
Van Hecke was a top target for Spurs and they agreed a fee after having two bids rejected
‘I already have a really strong connection with the head coach, who I’m looking forward to working with again. Micky (van de Ven) has also told me some great things about the club, so I can’t wait to get started.
‘I’ve been at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as an opposition player and now I’m looking forward to walking out there in front of our fans wearing the Spurs shirt. That will be a special moment.’
Spurs’ sporting director Johan Lange added: ‘Jan Paul is an outstanding defender who has excelled in the Premier League and at international level, and someone we have been tracking for a number of years.
‘As well as his technical qualities and strong defensive instincts, he also has the maturity, character and professionalism that we look for when recruiting players.
‘As we continue to build our squad, it is important to bring in players who can contribute immediately while also being part of our long-term vision.
‘Jan Paul fits that profile perfectly, and we are excited about what he will bring to the team.’
De Zerbi also hailed van Hecke’s qualities and opened up on their time together on the south coast.
‘Jan Paul is someone I know very well from our time together at Brighton, and I’m delighted to be working with him again.
‘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 our team to set-up.
‘Off the pitch he is mature, a leader and has a hunger to learn and improve every day.
‘Jan Paul has made great progress over the past few years and I believe he can develop even further here at Tottenham Hotspur.’
