Dutch international defender Jan Paul van Hecke has publicly addressed his recent £52 million move to Tottenham Hotspur from Brighton & Hove Albion, marking his first comments since the high-profile transfer. The 26-year-old centre-back is currently with the Netherlands national squad, competing at the World Cup in North America, where they are set to face Sweden in Houston this Saturday.
Van Hecke's transfer to the North London club follows a season where he played a crucial role in Brighton securing their Premier League status under manager Roberto De Zerbi. De Zerbi, who previously managed Van Hecke at Brighton, reportedly made the defender a priority signing, with Van Hecke having just 12 months remaining on his contract after a six-year tenure on the south coast.
Speaking about the period leading up to the transfer, Van Hecke commented on the flurry of activity, stating, "A lot of calls, and of course I’ve not been involved the whole time in this subject. It’s important for me, and the head coach [Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman] gave me the time on this transfer. I’m grateful for this because this is a great step forwards in my professional career." He added, "I am proud to have played for Brighton, it boosted my confidence, but now I will play for one of the most important clubs in England. It’s important for my future, but now I’m focused on the World Cup here."
The transfer will also provide a financial boost to Van Hecke's former clubs. Dutch side NAC Breda is set to receive approximately £3.5 million due to a sell-on clause agreed when they sold him to Brighton in 2020. His youth club, VV Goes, where he spent six years, will also benefit from the move. Van Hecke expressed his satisfaction for these clubs, noting, "It’s great for these two teams where I played. I had youth training in the province of Zeeland [with VV Goes], I played there six years. It was great. Goes will earn money thanks to this transfer. These clubs will be happy with this transfer and they deserve that."
Jan Paul's uncle, Jan Poortvliet, a former Netherlands international who played in the 1978 World Cup final, highlighted De Zerbi's influence in the decision. Poortvliet, now manager of FC Eindhoven, told Dutch outlet sportnieuws, "I think De Zerbi played a big role in the decision. Several clubs were interested but De Zerbi was clear and absolutely wanted him. Jan Paul would have been at the top of the list. He knows De Zerbi’s playing style well and had a fantastic season under him." In addition to Van Hecke, Tottenham have also secured Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson and Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi on free transfers.