Tottenham strengthen defence: Jan Paul van Hecke signed from Brighton for £52 million
Tottenham have officially signed Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton on a long-term contract, worth an estimated £52 million. The Dutch defender and Roberto De Zerbi will be reunited as the Netherlands are busy with the 2026 World Cup.
Tottenham Hotspur have officially announced the signing of Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion on a long-term contract. The transfer fee is estimated to be in the region of £52 million, although the duration of the deal has not been disclosed.
Van Hecke will be reunited with head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who he worked with at Brighton in 2023–2024 where the Dutch centre-back made 50 appearances in all competitions. In total, he made 131 appearances for the Seagulls, scoring four goals, including three in the 2025–26 campaign.
"It's an amazing honor to be a Spurs player and it's a dream come true to join this big club," Van Hecke said to the team's media channels. "I already have a strong relationship with the head coach and I'm looking forward to working with him again. Micky van de Ven has also said a lot of good things about the club so I can't wait to get started. I've played Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as an opponent and now I'm looking forward to going out there in a Spurs shirt in front of our supporters — it's a special moment."
<figure style="margin:2rem 0;overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;background:#f9f9f9"><img src="https://images.performgroup.com/di/library/omnisport/6e/5c/van-hecke_vch5nibyof6k1larjj5ie7f8x.jpg?t=-529451682" alt="Image" style="width:100%;height:auto;object-fit:contain" loading="lazy" /></figure>Van Hecke's defensive numbers in 2025–26 were impressive: no one had more interceptions (48) and blocks (31) at Brighton than him, and he also had the most match wins (223). In the number of duels entered, he is only second on the entire team with 361, behind Diego Gomez (374).
Van Hecke is Spurs' third defensive addition of this transfer window, following Andy Robertson and Marco Senesi to north London. Tottenham are coming off a consecutive 17th-place finish in the Premier League, having avoided relegation on the final day after a 1-0 win over Everton, and are clearly targeting a big lift next season.
Van Hecke is also staying busy on the international stage as part of the Netherlands' World Cup 2026 campaign.
