Tottenham "has sunk its teeth" and are "determined not to let go" says Dutch pundit

We covered the Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham story yesterday, as the BBC said the ‘Brighton expect second Spurs bid for Van Hecke’.

Van Hecke became a regular feature in De Zerbi’s team last season, and looks like a natural choice to exit the south coast of this trading club, which has secured a strong reputation for making lucrative deals.

Journalist Joost Blaauwhof appears to have the inside track, posting on X earlier today:

Tottenham Hotspur has sunk its teeth into Jan Paul van Hecke and is determined not to let go anymore.

The defender normally gets out of it himself—just as described—with the British traditional club.

The amount could rise considerably, partly because Brighton & Hove Albion is a tough seller.

The deal certainly feels as if it is hotting up, which is precisely what most fans will want to see.

Whatever supporters may think of the money involved, the racing certainty with Tottenham is that urgent change is required. Yes, De Zerbi did well keeping Spurs up, but that won’t have been enough. A fundamental change is required, both in respect of personnel and culture.

For me, I am pleased to see Roberto identifying his own picks.

Tony Bloom, the Brighton chairman, will be more aware than most that with a year left on his existing contract, and should van Hecke be sold, this will be a deal as tough as any he has overseen. As far as a valuation is concerned, Wallace cites the figure of £70 million, which, all in all, shapes expectations for fans to sense this could mean farewell to Cuti Romero.

Joost Blaauwhof is a Dutch sports journalist at Voetbal International, a major Dutch football media outlet. He writes news articles, transfer stories, and background pieces, often focusing on clubs like NAC Breda and covering broader Eredivisie/transfer market topics.