Tottenham could bid £40m for Dutch centre-back in 2026 to join Micky Van de Ven

Tottenham are now primed to launch a £40m move for a defensive leader from a Premier League rival as early plans for their 2026 transfer rebuild begin to take shape.

Given how inconsistent Tottenham Hotspur have been so far this season, it is clear there is a need for more reinforcement.

Spurs have struggled to keep pace with several top sides in the Premier League, having been outplayed by Bournemouth, Arsenal, Chelsea and even Fulham.

Rumours indicate that recruitment could arrive across multiple areas of the pitch, with goalkeeping, defence, midfield and the forward line expected to be bolstered.

Tottenham eye Jan Paul van Hecke in £40m transfer push

TeamTalk is now reporting that Tottenham have continued to monitor Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke through the early stages of the campaign.

It is believed that a potential £40m bid could be incoming in 2026, with Spurs having been linked with the Dutchman last summer, although they did not land him.

Van Hecke has already played every minute in the Premier League for Brighton this season and even scored a brace in the Seagulls’ latest 4-3 defeat to Aston Villa.

The defender’s contract is set to expire in 2027, which means he could be free to leave in the next 18 months.

If Brighton decides to sell the 25-year-old, they could secure a significant profit on Van Hecke, who arrived from NAC Breda for just £3m in 2020.

Spurs interest challenged by Fabian Hurzeler verdict

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has made clear how highly Jan Paul van Hecke is valued internally and hopes he will choose to commit long-term to the south coast club.

Speaking to The Argus, Hurzeler expressed his belief in the players’ development and mentality, saying: “Hopefully he has a long and bright future here in Brighton.

“When you see his past, where he has come from, what he went through to where he is now, you see a really consistent development. That is because of his attitude. That is because of his mindset. His effort is always above the things you can expect as a coach.

“That makes his values so important to us. He is a Dutch guy, so I already like his, he is very straight with you and honest with his opinion. I think that is always powerful in the team.

“He is one of my leaders, he is in the leadership group. He has taken more responsibility and more ownership this season. I think that is the next step for him, to not only be a great performer, but also try to be a leader in this club.”

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