Liverpool's Search for Defender Faces Setback as Van Hecke Chooses Spurs
Liverpool’s search for the next leader of their back line is set to hit an early setback. Jan Paul van Hecke, the Brighton and Hove Albion defender on their radar, has his heart set on Tottenham Hotspur and a reunion with Roberto De Zerbi.
Liverpool looking, Van Hecke listening – but to Spurs
With Ibrahima Konate on his way out and Virgil van Dijk edging into the final stretch of his career, Liverpool’s need for a central defender this summer is obvious. Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet will join Andoni Iraola’s squad, but both are long-term projects rather than instant pillars.
So Liverpool moved. According to Dutch outlet VI, they made contact with Van Hecke, whose contract at Brighton runs until 2027. Chelsea and Newcastle United have also been monitoring the 26-year-old Netherlands international, recognising the level he hit under De Zerbi on the south coast.
VI describes Van Hecke as Brighton’s “absolute star player” last season, a defender who drew sustained interest from several Premier League clubs over recent months. Liverpool sounded him out, Chelsea and Newcastle tracked him, and the market around him began to tighten.
That is where Tottenham stepped on the accelerator.
Tottenham push ahead
Spurs, VI reports, have “pushed ahead in recent weeks” and are preparing a third bid for Van Hecke. Personal terms are already agreed, leaving negotiations between the clubs as the final hurdle.
The key factor sits in the dugout. Van Hecke flourished under De Zerbi at Brighton and has reportedly been energised by his conversations with the Italian about the project in north London. The familiarity with the coach, the style, and the demands has tilted the entire race.
According to VI, the defender has made his position crystal clear: he wants Tottenham. Interest from Liverpool and others might still be mentioned in the British press, but the Dutchman’s focus has narrowed to a single destination. Spurs, sensing that advantage, are now working to drive the deal towards its final stages.
The timing matters. Van Hecke wants his future resolved before the World Cup, to go into the tournament without transfer noise swirling around him and with the assurance of what VI calls a “top transfer” already in place.
Dutch voices backing the move
Inside the Netherlands camp, the move is already a talking point.
Tottenham’s own Micky van de Ven has been nudging his compatriot towards north London. “I did talk to Jan Paul briefly about Tottenham,” the centre-back said. “I think it is a good step for him.” Short, but telling. A player settled at Spurs, thriving under De Zerbi, quietly endorsing the same route.
National team manager Ronald Koeman struck a more measured note when asked about the proposed switch. “Ideally, I would prefer a player to have peace of mind regarding his club,” he said on Sunday. “And that there is clarity about the future. But I cannot stop it.”
Koeman wants calm; the market rarely offers it. Tottenham, though, are trying to give Van Hecke exactly that before the first ball is kicked in the World Cup.
What it means for Liverpool and Spurs
For Liverpool, this is a blow to a carefully targeted pursuit. They identified a defender with Premier League experience, the right age profile, and the temperament to grow into a leading role. They made contact. They were in the race. But the pull of De Zerbi and the promise of a defined role at Spurs look set to win out.
For Tottenham, it is another step in reshaping their defence around pace, aggression and comfort on the ball. A partnership pool featuring Van de Ven and, if all goes to plan, Van Hecke, gives De Zerbi a pair of Dutch centre-backs who know his methods and trust his vision.
The deal is not over the line yet. Bids still need to be matched, papers still need signatures. But in the battle for Van Hecke, the direction of travel is clear: Liverpool have knocked, Chelsea and Newcastle have watched, and Tottenham have moved in to close.
If Spurs finish the job before the World Cup, they will not just have secured a key defender. They will have landed a player who chose them, and chose De Zerbi, at the very moment Liverpool were searching for their next defensive cornerstone.
