Ex-Spurs midfielder Sandro backs Van Hecke to partner Van de Ven at Tottenham

Former Tottenham midfielder Sandro has publicly backed Jan Paul van Hecke as the ideal centre-back signing for Roberto De Zerbi’s rebuilt Spurs side, arguing the Brighton defender’s existing relationship with the new head coach gives him a clear edge over other targets.

Tottenham are closing in on a free transfer for Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, but Sandro believes De Zerbi should go further and also pursue Van Hecke, who is entering the final year of his contract at Brighton. The 25-year-old played under De Zerbi during his time at the Amex Stadium and earned consistent praise for his composure in possession and defensive intelligence.

“They are talking about Marcos Senesi, at Bournemouth, but I really like the defender from Brighton, Van Hecke. I really like him. He’s good on the ball, he played with De Zerbi before too. He’s not only good on the ball, but he can be very aggressive and in a way that he’s not stupid,” said Sandro. “For me, Van Hecke is ready. He’s ready to play because he played under De Zerbi and he showed that he can play in the moment, that he’s mature, and we need players that are already mature.”

The defensive rebuild comes after Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League, surviving relegation by just two points on the final day. Captain Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin have both been linked with summer exits, while a decision looms over 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic, who returns from an impressive loan at Hamburg — where he earned a place in the Bundesliga team of the season — without yet having established himself in Spurs’ first-team plans.

Senesi, if signed, is expected to compete with Micky van de Ven for the left-sided centre-back role, leaving De Zerbi needing a separate solution on the right. Sandro, who worked under De Zerbi at Benevento in Italy, is adamant that Van de Ven himself must not be allowed to leave.

“100 per cent, he needs to stay. Van de Ven needs to stay, he needs to be the captain for next season,” Sandro said. “If we let him go, it will be losing Romero and him, so I hope he is at least there for three or four seasons. We need to keep him. I think he’s happy now with De Zerbi because De Zerbi can put a smile on the players’ faces and it’s so needed.”

With Van Hecke’s contract situation potentially making him an attainable target, De Zerbi faces decisions across the backline that will shape whether Spurs can mount a credible recovery from one of their worst league campaigns in recent memory.