Jan Paul van Hecke breaks silence on transfer reports amid Tottenham interest

Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke has suggested that a determination connected his nine aboriginal is improbable to beryllium made until aft the decision of the 2026 World Cup.

The Netherlands planetary joined the Seagulls successful 2020 and has since developed into 1 of the Premier League's astir reliable centre-backs, making implicit 130 appearances for the club. 

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly starring the contention for Van Hecke's signature and person already seen 2 bids rejected by Brighton, who are believed to worth the defender astatine astir £70m contempt him entering the last twelvemonth of his contract.

The 26-year-old is thought to favour a reunion with erstwhile Brighton brag Roberto De Zerbi successful North London, and reports suggest that Spurs are preparing a caller approach.

Jan Paul van Hecke breaks soundlessness connected aboriginal plans 

For now, however, Van Hecke's absorption remains firmly connected the World Cup.

The centre-back acknowledged that discussions regarding his aboriginal are ongoing, but insisted that representing the Netherlands connected the biggest signifier is his sole precedence astatine this moment.

"First of all, I conscionable privation to absorption connected the Dutch nationalist squad connected Sunday,” said Van Hecke, arsenic quoted by Evening Standard.

“That is simply a precise important lucifer for us, for me. So that’s my absorption until now. Of course, things are besides playing, and I cognize that myself too. But that’s not for now, that’s much aft the World Cup. I volition past spot wherever I play.

“I person besides said precise intelligibly that I would similar to person clarity for myself earlier the World Cup. And I person that too. But past for present for myself it’s conscionable clear. I conscionable privation to play the World Cup arsenic good arsenic possible.

“That clarity volition astir apt travel aft the World Cup erstwhile when I marque that step, past it’s wide to everyone."

Could Luka Vuskovic beryllium a solution for Tottenham? 

Brighton, meanwhile, person reportedly submitted a £30m connection for Luka Vuskovic, who spent past play connected indebtedness astatine Hamburg aft joining Tottenham.

The Croatian teen is regarded arsenic 1 of Europe's astir breathtaking antiaircraft prospects and has earned a spot successful his country's World Cup squad contempt his age.

While Tottenham proceed to complaint Vuskovic highly and person shown small denotation that they are prepared to sell, his sanction has inevitably surfaced amid ongoing discussions surrounding Van Hecke.

Spurs stay keen to fortify their defence nether De Zerbi, peculiarly with Cristian Romero often linked with a determination distant and uncertainty continuing to situation Radu Dragusin's future.

The North London nine person already added Andrew Robertson and Marcos Senesi to their ranks, but Van Hecke remains 1 of their precedence targets, and it remains to beryllium seen whether a compromise tin beryllium reached with Brighton erstwhile the World Cup comes to an end.