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Right-back is a key area for Liverpool, who lost Conor Bradley to a knee injury in January, while last summer’s signing Jeremie Frimpong has yet to fully establish himself in the role.
There is also ongoing uncertainty over Joe Gomez’s future. Despite the departure of Ibrahima Konate, Liverpool do not currently view a centre-back signing as a priority following the £60m arrival of Jeremy Jacquet and the return of teenager Giovanni Leoni, who has been sidelined with an ACL injury since September.
However, the lack of Premier League experience in defence could see Liverpool reassess later in the window, particularly for a versatile option capable of covering both right-back and centre-back roles.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jan Paul van Hecke has been linked with a move to Anfield this summer, but Tottenham Hotspur are currently considered his more likely destination.
According to The Athletic. Tottenham have reached an agreement with Brighton to sign Jan Paul van Hecke. Spurs defender Luka Vuskovic is not involved in any deal for the Netherlands international, despite reports of a £35m bid from Brighton being rejected.
Personal terms are not expected to be an issue for the centre-back, with Tottenham Hotspur previously submitting an offer that fell short of Brighton’s valuation. An agreement between the clubs is now understood to be in place.
Van Hecke’s contract runs until June 2027, with Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler confirming earlier this year that discussions over his future were expected.
The defender had reportedly shown no interest in extending his terms and has been linked with a possible summer exit, alongside goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and midfielder Carlos Baleba.
Van Hecke joined Brighton from NAC Breda in 2020 and spent loan spells at Heerenveen and Blackburn Rovers before breaking into the first team in the 2022-23 season.
He made 36 Premier League starts in 2025-26 as Brighton finished eighth to qualify for the UEFA Conference League, and is currently part of the Netherlands squad for the World Cup.
He has racked up 131 appearances for the club in total, including 106 in the Premier League. A move would add to Spurs’ busy start to the transfer window, with the club already signing centre-back Marcos Senesi and left-back Andy Robertson after their contracts expired at Bournemouth and Liverpool, respectively.