Spurs ready to complete £70m deal this weekend

After Roberto De Zerbi replaced Igor Tudor during the March international break, Tottenham Hotspur had as many Premier League points as Aston Villa and Liverpool, who finished fourth and fifth respectively.

There’s no need to remind us that Spurs finished 17th, only securing their place in the top flight by defeating Everton 1-0 at home in their final game of the season.

no way. terrible. Amazing. Please choose an adjective. Everything tells a similar story for a Tottenham team that has come close to collapsing into itself over the past year.

However, De Zerbi’s appointment could be a game-changer. He has kept the club in good form and now he is looking to take the Londoner back to the top of the Premier League. A new contract is needed to achieve this.

Spurs in contract talks with Premier League defender

Although the transfer window is not officially open yet, Tottenham have already brought Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi into their squad, experienced Premier League defenders who will suit the build-up structure De Zerbi’s system needs to get throaty.

With Cristian Romero expected to leave the club this summer, Spurs may need to push for a new defender, especially with young and talented Luka Vuskovic being the subject of a £30m offer from Brighton & Hove Albion.

The 18-year-old is spending the 2024/25 season on loan at Hamburg in Germany, and The Athletic’s David Ornstein has confirmed that the Croatian wants to move to the south coast.

It’s frustrating and many will consider Brighton’s initial offer ridiculous, but this offer could develop in the coming weeks, especially considering ENIC are keen to land one of AMEX’s star players.

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham are ready to make another bid for Brighton centre-half Jan Paul van Hecke, with decision-makers hoping to secure his signature this weekend.

The 26-year-old is one of the best players in the business and has only one year left on his contract at Brighton, but his employers value him at £70m and Spurs will be hoping to bring this figure down.

Why Van Hecke is better than Vuskovic for Spurs

Van Hecke previously worked under De Zerbi and established himself in the Premier League within the former Brighton manager’s Seagulls system. These early seeds could instill a progressive passing game, which could lead him to a resurgent Spurs team.

Dutch international Van Hecke, who has played 131 times for Brighton, has a wealth of experience on the big stage and could establish himself as a mainstay in De Zerbi’s project from the off-season. After all, with Romero set to leave, it’s vital the Spurs sign an immediate replacement.

Van Wecke is also one of Europe’s best ball-handling defenders, a match for Vuskovic’s own modern-day skill set. It remains unclear whether Tottenham will be able to complete the deal, but he is more mature and experienced than the Croatian prodigy and will undoubtedly bring the right style.

Vusković has already established himself as one of the best duelists in Europe, but he only wins 55% of his ground matches and we all know that making the step up to the Premier League can deplete talented up-and-comers.

For example, Xavi Simons had established himself as a young superstar in the Bundesliga, but this season he struggled to display and maintain his creativity in England’s top flight, until his season ended tragically with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Adapting to the English game will not be easy, but Van Hecke is already there. De Zerbi and Tottenham cannot afford a slow start next season, and Van Hecke’s ease on the ball and rigorous defending could help change the narrative in north London.

It goes without saying that Vuskovic’s long-term future should be at Tottenham, but if he has to head out for another loan spell next season, so be it.

The focus is simple. The goal is to sign Van Hecke without losing the services of Vusković. Both have their charms, but at this stage Van Hecke’s influence is probably greater.