Tottenham Hotspur have seen a second bid for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Paul Jan van Hecke rejected, as the north London club intensifies its pursuit of the Dutch centre-back this summer.
Spurs' Interest in Van Hecke
Spurs are eager to secure the services of the 25-year-old, having already completed a Bosman transfer for Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth. The move comes amid uncertainty surrounding the future of club captain Cristian Romero, prompting Tottenham to bolster their defensive options.
Brighton's Stance
Van Hecke is expected to leave the Amex Stadium this summer, with only one year remaining on his current contract. Brighton chief executive Paul Barber confirmed that multiple clubs are interested, including Liverpool and Newcastle United. Barber revealed that Brighton rejected an initial offer around £40 million and a subsequent bid from Tottenham, with the club reportedly demanding £70 million for the player.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Barber stated: "There's always going to be a lot of interest in our best players, and certainly in the case of Jan Paul. We've been very clear that that interest has been ongoing for a while, it's coming from multiple sources. Yes, we have rejected a bid from Tottenham over the last week or so, in fact, two bids. From that point of view, it has to be right for us as well as the player."
Brighton's Ambitions
Barber emphasized the importance of retaining key players to support manager Fabian Hurzeler, who has led Brighton to eighth-place finishes in both Premier League seasons and secured European qualification. "We have to be in a position to make the best trades to suit our model and also to make sure that we're supporting Fabian, because he's got another big season ahead of him," Barber added. "He's had two seasons in the Premier League, he's finished eighth on both occasions, this time we've been fortunate enough to qualify for a European competition. We want to go as deep in that competition as we can, while also doing well in the Premier League."
Spurs Legend's Endorsement
Speaking before Tottenham's initial bid, former Spurs midfielder Sandro described Van Hecke as "perfect" for the tactics of then-manager Roberto De Zerbi. "They are talking about Marcos Senesi, at Bournemouth," Sandro told Standard Sport. "But I really like the defender from Brighton, Van Hecke. For me, Van Hecke is ready. He's ready to play because he played under De Zerbi and he showed that he can play in the moment, that he's mature, and we need players that are already mature."
With another bid expected from Tottenham, the transfer saga is likely to continue as the summer window progresses.
