UMVA has learned that Tottenham is making a bold move to kickstart their summer recruitment drive by making an offer for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
The 25-year-old Netherlands international is highly valued by Brighton at £70million, and Spurs' initial offer has been rejected. However, Roberto De Zerbi, who has a close relationship with van Hecke from their time together at Brighton, is eager to bring him on board.
De Zerbi's priority is to add fresh talent to a squad that narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of the Premier League season. With three wins in the final five fixtures, De Zerbi showed promise, but the club's 17th-place finish in the last two campaigns highlights the need for significant rebuilding.
Tottenham is under no illusion about the scale of the task ahead and knows that another underwhelming transfer window would set the club back even further. The potential departure of captain Cristian Romero and interest in Micky van de Ven from various European clubs adds to the urgency.
Spurs are on the verge of completing a deal for free agent Marcos Senesi, who has been instrumental in Bournemouth's success. De Zerbi wants to pair the Argentina international with van Hecke, a player he trusts and has a strong understanding with.
However, Tottenham faces stiff competition for van Hecke's services, with Liverpool and Chelsea also in the market for defensive reinforcements. With only a year left on his Brighton contract, van Hecke is likely to be sold this summer, and talks over an extension are unlikely to materialize.
Liverpool, meanwhile, is set to confirm a new manager and is keen to sign a new center-half to partner Virgil van Dijk, with Ibrahima Konate poised to leave on a free transfer. Brighton is also searching for a new sporting director after Jason Ayto's departure.
