Roberto de Zerbi has signed Liverpool veteran Andy Roberton and Bournemouth’s Argentine Marcos Senesi, both on a free transfer. In recent weeks, work has been done to bring in another defensive rock, an acquaintance of De Zerbi from the Brighton era.
It is about Jan Paul van Hecke. The Dutch international has shown he has cracked the codes in the world’s toughest league, a centre-back reinforcement Tottenham will benefit from as De Zerbi builds a foundation that lifts Tottenham up the bottom of the Premier League table.
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Tottenham and Brighton agree on Jan Paul van Hecke transfer
According to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein, Tottenham and Brighton have now agreed on a transfer for the centre-back, with Tottenham paying a solid £53 million for the defender, but without any bonuses.
Van Hecke joined Brighton from NAC Breda in 2020 for a modest £1.8 million. For Brighton, the Dutchman has done an outstanding job in central defence after loan spells at Heerenveen and Blackburn, and now comes the big sale income for Brighton.
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For Tottenham, this is a very important piece of Roberto de Zerbi’s “build on the right players, and replenish with the right reinforcements”. Spurs will cope – and grow – with Cristian Romero on his way out of the club.
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