Tottenham agree Jan Paul van Hecke deal - David Ornstein

Updated: 16 Jun 2026 18:30 BST | 4 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, leaving Chelsea chasing shadows.

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Spurs' ambitious rebuild under new head coach Roberto de Zerbi continues apace. Following the free transfer signings of Andy Robertson from Liverpool and Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth, Tottenham are closing in on their first big-money deal.

David Ornstein of The Athletic reports that an agreement with Brighton has been reached over a €60 million fee for Van Hecke. Spurs' first two offers were knocked back, with the second bid clocking in at just €40m.

Current ETV

Jan Paul van Hecke

D (C)

Brighton

Jan Paul van Hecke

D (C)

Brighton

ETV Range

€39.8M - €48.7M

Reports have suggested that the Seagulls could demand up to €80m for Van Hecke, but the two parties have now seemingly met in the middle. There was no point in Brighton trying to force the Netherlands international to stay, as he only had a year left on his contract and no intention of renewing.

By not playing hardball, the South Coast club may have boosted their chances of agreeing a deal for Spurs defender Luka Vuskovic, who is keen to link up with Fabian Hurzeler this summer. A first bid was rejected by Tottenham.

Tottenham agree Van Hecke deal

Now that a fee has been agreed for Van Hecke, this deal may progress swiftly despite the 26-year-old currently being at the World Cup. Personal terms are not expected to be an issue, with the defender keen to reunite with his former Brighton boss De Zerbi.

Speaking after the Netherlands 2-2 draw with Japan, Van Hecke, who has also been linked with Chelsea, insisted that he wanted "clarity" after the World Cup - but he's now set to get it just a few days later. Tottenham's agreement with Brighton does not include any bonuses, it is an upfront €60m deal.

This won't be the end of the North London club's summer business. Earlier on Tuesday, Ornstein confirmed reports that Tottenham had strongly entered the race for Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali, who is believed to be open to the move.

In addition, Tottenham have also reignited their long-standing interest in Man City winger Savinho, though whether they will be able to agree a deal remains to be seen. He is willing to consider a move, but he only signed a new contract last year, so he will be expensive.

An alternative target is Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jean-Matteo Bahoya, who is in a similar situation to Mathys Tel when he initially joined Spurs on loan in January 2025. Bahoya was supposed to be his club's next great hope, but the youngster has struggled to live up to the hype.

Bahoya has grown frustrated with his lack of action at Frankfurt, so he could be receptive to offers. The Bundesliga side won't stand in his way, though reports in Germany have suggested that they have slapped an inflated asking price on the young Frenchman.

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