Tottenham emerge as serious contenders to sign £44m Brighton star in January

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Tottenham Hotspur are lining up a move for a Brighton defender, with reports suggesting that the centre-back could be on the move in January if he fails to agree new terms at the Amex.

Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a good summer window, at least according to Ally McCoist, who highlighted his standout signing of the summer for Spurs and praised the direction the club is heading.

Yet for all the praise, there remains a sense of what might have been had Tottenham managed to get every one of their transfer targets across the line.

Savinho had been linked with a move to north London, but the Brazilian remained in Manchester City, while Spurs also sought defensive reinforcements but came up empty on deadline day.

Tottenham want Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke

According to GIVEMESPORT, Thomas Frank has been encouraged in his pursuit of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke, with Tottenham now considered serious contenders for the Dutchman’s signature.

Tottenham had shown interest in Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake on deadline day, but their pursuit did not yield any results, while links with left-sided centre-back Piero Hincapie were denied.

Van Hecke has yet to commit to fresh terms with Brighton, leaving the door ajar for a possible exit when the January transfer window opens, with Spurs keen on his signature.

The Dutchman currently earns £50,000 per week and has two years remaining on his current deal, yet Tottenham are thought to be open to a move for him after opting against pushing through a transfer in the summer.

Van Hecke could spark transfer battle

Brighton are still intent on convincing Van Hecke to sign an extension, but with the 25-year-old valued at £44 million, he is understood to be open to testing the market to see which clubs step forward with interest.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen, but they will not be alone, with several Premier League rivals monitoring his situation closely.

Newcastle United and Liverpool are also admirers of Van Hecke, who has his eye on competing in the UEFA Champions League, although he could yet stay at Brighton if Fabian Hurzeler’s side put together a strong campaign this season.