Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke spoke to the press on the eve of the Netherlands vs Sweden match, scheduled for Saturday at 7 PM, just three days after his transfer to Tottenham.
Asked how it feels to be a player worth €60 million, van Hecke smiled. “It’s always difficult to talk about that. I’m mostly happy for what it brings to my former club and my training club. For me, it means nothing, it won’t change me, even if I’m proud to sign for one of the biggest English clubs.”
The defender, who moved from Brighton to Tottenham this week, appeared with a black eye at the press conference in Houston on Friday evening, but it was not from his coach Ronald Koeman, who sat next to him on stage. “First, I’m fully focused on this match and nothing else. This transfer doesn’t distract me, I’m not affected, I’m connected to the Netherlands team. Practically, I wasn’t involved the whole day in finalizing the transfer. The coach gave me the necessary time to handle it, but that’s it.”
“Being here is a really great experience, I’m so proud to be here!”
He can imagine how a mediocre performance against Sweden, facing the Isak-Gyökeres attack he faced in the Premier League, would be perceived after the 2-2 draw against Japan in the opener. But he performed well in the opener and claims to have compartmentalized his double news this week: “This transfer is a big step in my career, I’m going to play for one of the biggest English clubs. It boosts my confidence and now I’m fully focused on the Netherlands. Being here is a really great experience, I’m so proud to be here! I hope we will play many more matches in this World Cup.”
At 26, he is playing in his first World Cup finals and intends to make the most of it. Afterwards, he will reunite with some of Brighton at Tottenham with coach Roberto de Zerbi, whom he worked with for two seasons in southern England (2022-2024). And a bit of the Netherlands, with Xavi Simons (out of this World Cup) and defender Micky van de Ven. Unless the latter moves: he is coveted by Liverpool and Barcelona, among others.
The Oranje house is doing a lot of business from the USA. For now, it especially benefits NAC Breda, which negotiated 7.5% on any future resale in 2020 when he signed for Brighton. The transaction will bring them about €4.5 million, including training compensation. “They deserve it,” said the boy who grew up in the far south of the Netherlands, in Arnemuiden, so close to the sea that he could see England on a clear day.
