Roberto De Zerbi’s comments about Jan Paul Van Hecke during his Brighton days make for very interesting reading as the pair edge closer to a possible reunion at Tottenham Hotspur.
De Zerbi made it clear in his final press conference of the season that Tottenham need to rebuild their squad, and the club appear to have listened to their head coach.
The Lilywhites are wasting no time in trying to secure the right players, with Van Hecke the latest player in Spurs’ sights.
Tottenham have had their first offer for the centre-back turned down by Brighton, with the two clubs continuing to be locked in negotiations for the 25-year-old, who has just a year left on his contract at the Amex Stadium.
Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi was surprised by Jan Paul Van Hecke at Brighton
The Netherlands international worked with the Spurs boss for two years at Brighton, and it was during that time that the Dutchman developed into the player he is.
In an interview back in 2023, De Zerbi admitted that he was pleasantly surprised by Van Hecke when he took over at the South Coast club, but refused to take credit for his development.
Ahead of Brighton’s Europa League clash against Ajax in 2023, De Zerbi said about the centre-back (via Voetball International): “Great player! Jan Paul has been a surprise to my staff and me. His development is incredible. He deserves to be a starter. I hope he can play the same way in Amsterdam as he does in England.
“His development is not my doing, mind you. I can explain what I want, what the best solution is for the players. But if you don’t have smart players, and good players, it is impossible for the coaches to make them better.”
De Zerbi is a fan of Van Hecke’s borderline arrogance
In another interview in 2024, the former Brighton boss confessed that he and the 25-year-old centre-back often had disagreements.
However, De Zerbi spoke very highly of Van Hecke’s qualities as a footballer as well as his attitude, revealing that the Tottenham target is not lacking in confidence.
Two years ago, the 46-year-old told BBC Sport about his relationship with Van Hecke: “We fight. We fought, but we fought in a good way. He is improving in an incredible way. He’s actually older than his age. His level is high, higher than people think.
“I think the most important quality of JP is the balance between the arrogance and the confidence in himself. He is not arrogant, but his confidence in himself is high, high, high.”
- READ MORE: How Jan Paul van Hecke feels about Tottenham transfer with Spurs and Brighton locked in talks