Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of completing the transfer of Dutch centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Van Hecke featured for the Netherlands in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, a tense 2-2 draw against Japan at the AT&T Stadium, while speculation about his future continued to grow. After spending six years with Brighton, the 26-year-old defender now appears set to make a move to Spurs.

As reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic, the two clubs have reached an agreement on a transfer fee of £52 million after Van Hecke ‘had shown no interest in extending his terms’ at the Amex Stadium.

An earlier bid by the North London side was turned down, but with Van Hecke’s contract due to expire next summer, he is now set to reunite with former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham.

De Zerbi guided Spurs to safety following a difficult Premier League campaign, and the club is now being linked with several significant signings as they attempt to re-establish themselves in the top tier and return to European competition.

According to Ornstein, “Personal terms are not expected to be an issue for the centre-back, who shares a close relationship with Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi, having worked together at the south coast club between 2022 and 2024.”

He further added, “The move would mark another busy step in the transfer window for Spurs, who have already secured centre-back Marcos Senesi and left-back Andy Robertson, following the expiry of their contracts with Bournemouth and Liverpool respectively.”

Van Hecke is expected to feature again when the Netherlands face Sweden in their second group match at the NRG Stadium on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Brighton have already started searching for a replacement, with another World Cup defender reportedly under serious consideration.

Among the leading candidates is 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic, who is part of Croatia’s World Cup squad after an impressive season in Germany with Hamburg. The young defender was on loan from Spurs, having joined them from Hajduk Split last summer — two years after the agreement for his transfer was made.

The teenager is said to be one of Brighton’s prime targets; however, Ornstein confirmed that a second bid worth £35 million has been turned down, and the agreement over Van Hecke’s sale is unrelated to Vuskovic’s future.

Reports on Tuesday also suggested that Spurs are keen on signing Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United, though the Magpies’ £100 million asking price could prove to be a stumbling block.

According to FourFourTwo, securing Tonali this summer would be a difficult task for Tottenham, with speculation understood to be influenced by the player’s agent. Still, the acquisition of Van Hecke represents a strong statement of intent from the North London club.

Brighton, on their part, are likely to take the transfer in stride. The club has become accustomed to former managers returning to sign their ex-players, having seen several make the move to Chelsea in recent years.

For Premier League sides, achieving success through smart sales and investing in younger replacements has become essential. Brighton, in particular, have earned a reputation for excelling at both aspects.