Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the signing of Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion to bolster their central defensive choices earlier this week.
The Lilywhites are agreed a deal value £52m to carry the Netherlands worldwide to North London, regardless of him being in the course of a World Cup marketing campaign together with his nation.
Van Hecke labored with Roberto De Zerbi throughout their time collectively at Brighton within the Premier League, which implies that he may hit the bottom working at Spurs beneath a supervisor he already is aware of.
The Dutch star can be a global teammate of Micky van de Ven and began alongside the Tottenham defender, who was at left-back, within the Netherlands’ draw with Japan.
He won’t be the final participant to hitch the membership in the summertime switch window, although, because the Premier League facet wish to add additional reinforcements to the group.
Spurs pursuing deal for Portuguese star
The Lilywhites are available in the market to strengthen their choices in the course of the park, as they eye a deal for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, and De Zerbi as soon as had a terrific midfield expertise in Moises Caicedo at Brighton.
Chelsea paid £115m to signal the Ecuador worldwide from Brighton, making him an unrealistic goal for the membership, however De Zerbi is now taking a look at a star who could possibly be his subsequent model of Caicedo.
In response to Fabrizio Romano, by way of his YouTube channel, Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing a deal to signal West Ham United central midfielder Mateus Fernandes in the summertime switch window.
The reporter claims that Spurs have been making cellphone calls to talk with the participant and his representatives, to put the groundwork for a possible transfer this summer time.
Nevertheless, Romano provides that there’s a battle to safe the Portuguese star’s signature within the low season, as Manchester United are in talks to signal him and Actual Madrid are contemplating a transfer so as to add him to Jose Mourinho’s squad.
It has been beforehand claimed that the Hammers, regardless of being relegated to the Championship, are searching for a price of round £80m for Fernandes, and it stays to be seen whether or not or not Spurs are prepared to pay that value.
How Mateus Fernandes might be Tottenham’s personal Moises Caicedo
Caicedo earned a £115m transfer to Chelsea by providing distinctive qualities out and in of possession in the course of the park for Brighton, and Fernandes supplied related qualities throughout his time at West Ham.
The Ecuador worldwide performed 33 occasions within the Premier League for Brighton within the 2022/23 marketing campaign in De Zerbi’s first season on the membership and averaged 4.4 tackles and interceptions per recreation for his workforce.
Now, regardless of being relegated within the 2025/26 season, Fernandes’ type over the previous 9 months means that he has the power to duplicate Caicedo’s Brighton type for De Zerbi at Spurs.
|
Premier League |
Caicedo (22/23) |
Fernandes (25/26) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
33 |
36 |
|
Targets |
3 |
3 |
|
Assists |
1 |
4 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per recreation |
4.4 |
3.9 |
|
Duels gained per recreation |
5.3 |
5.5 |
|
Floor duel success charge |
59% |
56% |
|
Aerial duel success charge |
34% |
49% |
Evaluating the £80m-rated star’s type to Caicedo’s beneath De Zerbi makes it clear that they’re each very related gamers who can each make an affect on and off the ball in midfield within the Premier League.
Fernandes, who was hailed as a “celebrity” by analyst Joost van der Leij, is an extremely combative midfield participant who likes to get caught in with tackles, interceptions, and duels to win possession again for his workforce regularly, very similar to the £115m star.
The 21-year-old destroyer isn’t just a brute who roams across the pitch to supply physicality and little else, although, as a result of he’s additionally a powerful operator with the ball.
A return of three objectives and 4 assists as a combative midfielder in a workforce that completed within the backside three is nothing to be sneered at, because it reveals that he could make an affect on the high finish of the pitch as each a scorer and a creator of objectives.
Fernandes has the potential to be De Zerbi’s new model of Caicedo due to the qualities that he can supply in midfield out and in of possession, breaking apart play and contributing within the last third.
That’s the reason the membership ought to push to beat Actual Madrid and Manchester United within the race to signal the previous Southampton man within the coming days and weeks.
He is like Dele: Spurs near agreeing private phrases to signal £25m star
Tottenham Hotspur are advancing yet one more deal forward of the summer time switch window.
