Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has confirmed the club have rejected two bids from Tottenham Hotspur for star defender Jan Paul van Hekke.
The North London side are moving quickly to strengthen their backline, which struggled mightily last season, but the Seagulls are proving to be an incredibly tough negotiator for the Dutch international.
Brighton are willing to pay a premium for the player, even though he is in the final year of his current contract.
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Tottenham’s two bids for Jan Paul van Hecke rejected
Tottenham’s interest in Van Hecke has been sustained by manager Roberto De Zerbi, who worked with the central defender during his time on the South Coast.
Van Hecke has flourished under De Zerbi, developing into one of the Premier League’s most reliable ball-playing centre-backs.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Brighton CEO Paul Barber clarified the club’s position regarding the 25-year-old.
“There’s always going to be a lot of interest in our best players, and of course that’s the case with Jan Paul,” Barber said.
“Again, it’s been very clear that interest has been going on for some time. It’s coming from multiple sources. Yes, we’ve rejected a bid from Tottenham in the past week or so, two bids in fact. From that point of view, it has to be the right one for us as well as the player.”
According to reports, Brighton are refusing to sell the defender on the cheap and are demanding a transfer fee of around £50 million, despite interest from rivals Liverpool and Newcastle.
Roberto De Zerbi eager to reunite
Tottenham’s pursuit is largely driven by manager Roberto de Zerbi, who worked with Van Hekke during his time at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Under De Zerbi, the Dutch defender has developed into one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the Premier League, combining his composure in possession and strong defensive awareness.
That existing relationship is seen as a key factor behind Tottenham’s decision to bring him to north London.
Brighton are reportedly seeking a transfer fee of around £50m, despite Van Hecke entering the final year of his contract.
The Seagulls are known for their tough negotiating stance and appear unwilling to lower their demands despite growing interest from across the Premier League.
Brighton’s position in the negotiations could also be strengthened, with Liverpool and Newcastle United both reportedly linked with the defender.
Tottenham are already active in the transfer market
Negotiations over Van Hecke continue, but Tottenham have already made a decisive move in the transfer market.
The club have secured the signing of Andy Robertson and are also expected to complete the signing of Marcos Senesi as part of a wider defensive overhaul.
However, Van Hecke remains one of the club’s main targets and Spurs may need to significantly increase their offer to convince Brighton to part ways with one of their most important defenders.
