Tottenham battle Chelsea and Liverpool for Brighton defender

Tottenham Hotspur have stepped up their interest in signing Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.

The Dutch defender is being eyed as a potential replacement for Cristian Romero, who is keen to leave North London this summer.

Van Hecke has won admirers since his arrival at Brighton from NAC Breda, earning 10 caps for the Netherlands since his senior debut in 2024.

Spurs are keen to partner Van Hecke with international teammate Micky van de Ven, provided the North Londoners avoid Premier League relegation.

According to TEAMtalk, Spurs have stepped up their pursuit in a bid to beat Chelsea and Liverpool to the 25-year-old’s signature. Both teams have tracked the progress of Van Hecke and are in the market for centre-back reinforcements.

Van Hecke has excelled in Brighton’s possession-dominant approach, ranking in the top two percent of centre-backs in Europe for progressive carries and progressive passes completed. He will enter the final 12 months of his deal this summer, which could force Brighton into a sale.

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