Tottenham Hotspur spent a lot of money on Jan Paul van Hecke this summer transfer window, splurging 60 million euros on a center back from Brighton who had just one year left on his contract, even knowing that buying him would cost them Luka Vuskovic. But Spurs sold Vuskovic for about the same and, in signing Van Hecke, made a huge statement to Roberto De Zerbi that they will back him to the end.
Van Hecke is a proven, top level Premier League center back who excelled at Brighton especially under De Zerbi. And the two are extremely close, with many terming the bond between them as a father and son relationship.
Well, the prodigal son has returned, and after a stellar World Cup for the Netherlands as a passing center back, Van Hecked again exactly why De Zerbi demanded him and why he will be an upgrade on the overrated and enigmatic Cristian Romero - an all time terrible Tottenham Hotspur captain.
Jan Paul van Hecke is impervious with the ball at his feet
Against the low block of Getafe, Van Hecke was the standout player on the pitch for Spurs, dominating the ball and showing not only a great command of the ball as a passer, but also progressing the ball excellently as a dribbler.
Even the No. 8 Lucas Bergvall was put to shame by how brilliant Jan Paul van Hecke was on the ball. The experienced central defender has been slicing through midfields like a hot knife through butter, galloping past them and barely putting a foot wrong with the ball when he sends it forward.
Van Hecke can spray balls out wide on the wings that Mohammed Kudus an the others will love, and Tottenham have been craving a center back who can actually get the ball forward quickly into dangerous positions. A lot of what Cristian Romero was doing on the ball was just empty calorie stat padding by comparison.
There is little doubt that Van Hecke has all the tools to be a world class center back, and Spurs are going to do whatever they can to help him get there. Roberto De Zerbi is the perfect manager for him, and now that they are reunited at a much bigger club in Tottenham, there is no telling what he can accomplish, especially with compatriot Micky van de Ven next to him, Pedro Porro at right back, and then the midfield anchor pairing of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali in front of him.
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