London [UK], June 19 (ANI): Jan Paul van Hecke, an experienced Netherlands international defender, has joined Tottenham Hotspur from Brighton & Hove Albion on a long-term contract, as confirmed by the Tottenham Hotspur website.
Upon joining the club, van Hecke expressed his excitement: "It's a huge honour to become a Spurs player and when you join such a big club, it's a dream come true." He added, "I already have a really strong connection with the Head Coach, who I'm looking forward to working with again. Micky (van de Ven) has also told me some great things about the Club, so I can't wait to get started. I've been at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as an opposition player and now I'm looking forward to walking out there in front of our fans wearing the Spurs shirt. That will be a special moment."
Van Hecke's Journey to Tottenham
The 26-year-old centre-back arrives from Brighton, where he established himself as a top Premier League and international defender. He initially joined Brighton at age 20, after just one season of senior football with NAC Breda, where he made 16 appearances and helped the second division side reach the KNVB Cup semi-finals.
To gain experience, he returned to the Netherlands on loan to Heerenveen for the 2020/21 season, playing top-flight football for the first time and again reaching the KNVB Cup semi-finals. The following season, he moved to Championship side Blackburn Rovers on loan, where he was named the club's Player of the Year—the first loan player to achieve that honour.
Premier League and European Success
Van Hecke made his Brighton and Premier League debut at the start of the 2022/23 season, which saw the Seagulls finish sixth and qualify for European football for the first time, while also reaching the FA Cup semi-finals. He became a key figure under Roberto De Zerbi, making 39 appearances in all competitions the following season, including seven in the UEFA Europa League.
He claimed Brighton's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards for the 2024/25 season. In the 2025/26 campaign, he registered the second-highest number of passes in the Premier League with over 2,500, while only two players had more touches of the ball.
International Career
Van Hecke made his Netherlands Under-21 debut in June 2022 and earned his first senior cap in September 2024 in a 2-2 draw with Germany. He now has 13 international caps and made his World Cup debut on Monday as the Netherlands drew 2-2 with Japan.
