Tottenham news: Frank wants £44m monster in stunning January coup

Thomas Frank has reportedly instructed Tottenham Hotspur to ramp up their pursuit of an impressive Premier League defensive talent in January, with TEAMtalk analysing why the player would be a perfect fit in north London.

Having spent over £170million during what turned out to be Daniel Levy’s final window in charge of the club, Spurs are expected to spend again in the new year as they look to fill a couple of glaring holes that were not properly taken care of over the summer window.

While Tottenham enjoyed an impressive end to their summer business, they still failed to sign an out-and-out Son Heung-min replacement and add more centre-back depth – issues they are expected to resolve come January.

New signing Xavi Simons actually started his first game for the club in Son’s old role in the 3-0 rout of West Ham on Saturday, while Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were imperious at the London Stadium, with the latter also getting on the scoresheet.

However, if either of the starting centre-backs miss any game time, Kevin Danso remains the only recognised cover and that has led to Tottenham stepping up their interest in trying to sign highly-rated Brighton star Jan Paul van Hecke – a player TEAMtalk has previously revealed is on their radar.

And now CaughtOffside reports that Frank wants the 25-year-old Netherlands international, who Van de Ven knows well, as part of his defensive rotation in the new year.

Van Hecke has established himself as a key figure in the Seagulls’ first team, breaking into the Netherlands international set-up as a result, with his impressive performances catching the eye of a number of clubs.

As TEAMtalk have previously reported, Liverpool and Newcastle are also fans of the player and are monitoring his progress, but Spurs are looking to convince him to join them instead.

The former Breda defender only has two years remaining on his contract, meaning Brighton will need to sell in January or next summer to recoup any sort of significant fee for his services. He is currently valued at €32m (£27.6m / $37.5m) on Transfermarkt, although it’s reported that the Seagulls have set an asking price of around €51m (£44m / £59m).

DON’T MISS ➡️ Three top targets Tottenham MUST sign in January; three who need to LEAVE

Why Van Hecke is a strong fit for Tottenham

The Dutchman has all the qualities required to be a big hit in north London, although he would clearly face a massive battle to oust Romero or Van de Ven in Frank’s starting XI.

However, as has been proved in the past, both of Tottenham’s starting centre-backs are prone to picking up injuries, and having adequate back-up has proved a major issue for Spurs in the past.

Indeed, teenager Archie Gray, whose best position is as a defensive midfielder, was asked to play 20 games at the heart of the Tottenham back line due to Romero and Van de Ven missing game time, in what was his first season at the club.

Danso is a decent enough back-up option, while there is talk that young talent Luka Vuskovic could be recalled early from his loan at Hamburg in January – if the 18-year-old continues at his current rapid rate of progress.

However, getting Van Hecke on board would be a huge bonus for Tottenham and Frank in terms of defensive depth and being able to rotate Romero and Van de Ven and try and keep them injury-free.

The Brighton man has the attributes of both Spurs starting central defenders, showcasing great aerial ability, strong physicality and decent pace, while he is also comfortable in possession and a fine passer of the ball.

From the Seagulls’ standpoint, they have so far failed in their attempts to convince Van Hecke to sign a lucrative new deal on the south coast. Indeed, it’s been reported they are willing to make him one of the highest-paid players in their history.

The fact that he does not, at this stage, appear to be willing to put pen to paper suggests that Van Hecke believes he is ready to take the next step in his career and move to a club that can provide top-level European football.

Depending on how Tottenham go in the Champions League group stage, that could well mean a move to the capital may be on the cards for the talented Dutch defender come the new year.

Latest Tottenham news

🔵 Thomas Frank reacts to Xavi Simons debut for Tottenham as Enzo Maresca learns what Chelsea missed out on

🔵 Tottenham plans for gut-wrenching out-of-window Leeds raid revealed as player’s father assesses move

🔵 Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea talks for explosive Tottenham ace and reveals why move collapsed

Click here to read article