Tottenham Rejected Twice as Van Hecke Stays at Brighton

Brighton rejected two Tottenham bids for van hecke last week, and the club’s stance has left his future unresolved with one year left on his Brighton contract. Paul Barber said Spurs made two approaches over the last week or so, including a second bid that did not move the deal forward.

Barber On Two Spurs Bids

“Yes, we have rejected a bid from Tottenham over the last week or so. In fact, two bids” Barber said at the weekend. He added: “There is always going to be a lot of interest in our best players and certainly in the case of Jan Paul.”

That leaves Brighton in control for now, but the pressure around Van Hecke has not gone away. He joined from NAC Breda for an initial fee of £1.8m in 2020, and his contract situation gives any interested club a clear opening if Brighton decide to listen later in the window.

Tottenham’s Centre-Back Plan

Spurs are also pursuing Luka Vuskovic, and a deal for Van Hecke is expected to move quickly once an agreement is reached on Vuskovic’s valuation. Tottenham first agreed a deal to sign the 19-year-old from Hajduk Split in summer 2023, and he spent last season on loan at Hamburg.

Their centre-back picture already includes Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero when both are fit. Kevin Danso stepped up during Romero’s absence at the end of the season after an injury kept him out for the run-in, and Tottenham also have Marcos Senesi on a free.

Brighton’s Hold On Van Hecke

Brighton have moved quickly to block two bids, but the contract clock is working against them. Van Hecke remains tied to the club for another year, and Spurs have made clear they are staying active in the market for defensive cover.

For Brighton, the next move is about whether they keep their defender through the rest of his deal or face another round of interest before the window closes. For Tottenham, the pursuit of Van Hecke sits alongside the Vuskovic situation and a back line that could soon have four centre-backs in play.