Jan Paul van Hecke has spoken publicly for the first time following his £52 million transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Dutch defender will join Spurs under the management of Roberto De Zerbi, who guided the club to Premier League safety on the final day of the season. De Zerbi previously worked with Van Hecke at Brighton and made the 26-year-old centre-back, who had one year left on his contract after six years on the south coast, a key target.

The Netherlands international is currently representing his country at the World Cup, where the Dutch side are set to face Sweden in Houston on Saturday.

Speaking about the days leading up to the transfer, Van Hecke said, “There were a lot of phone calls, and of course I wasn’t fully involved at every stage. It’s a very important move for me, and the head coach [Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman] allowed me the space to handle it. I’m thankful for that because this is a big step forward in my professional career.”

He added, “I’m proud to have played for Brighton — it gave me a lot of confidence — but now I’ll be playing for one of the biggest clubs in England. It’s an important move for my future. For now, though, my focus is fully on the World Cup.”

Van Hecke’s transfer will also benefit two of his former clubs. Dutch outfit NAC Breda are set to receive around £3.5 million from the deal due to a sell-on clause agreed when he moved to Brighton in 2020, while his youth club VV Goes will also earn a share.

“It’s wonderful for the two clubs where I started my journey. I received my youth training in Zeeland with VV Goes, where I played for six years — it was a fantastic time. Goes will gain financially from this move, and both clubs deserve it,” Van Hecke said.

Van Hecke’s uncle, Jan Poortvliet, who featured for the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup final, also commented on the transfer. Poortvliet, now managing second-tier side FC Eindhoven, told Dutch outlet Sportnieuws, “I think De Zerbi played a major role in this decision. Several clubs were interested, but De Zerbi was very clear — he absolutely wanted him. Jan Paul would have been near the top of his list. He understands De Zerbi’s style of play and had an excellent season under him.”

Tottenham have also strengthened their defence with the free signings of Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson and Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi.