TOTTENHAM HANDED VAN HECKE INJURY BLOW AS DEFENDER LEAVES NETHERLANDS SQUAD
Tottenham Defender Jan Paul van Hecke Leaves Netherlands Squad After Injury
Tottenham Hotspur have been handed an injury concern after defender Jan Paul van Hecke was forced to withdraw from the Netherlands squad during the international break.
The 26-year-old centre-back suffered a foot injury during the Netherlands’ 2-1 Nations League victory over Serbia on Sunday. The Dutch Football Federation has confirmed that Van Hecke will leave the national team camp and return to Tottenham for treatment and further assessment.
Van Hecke had featured in both of the Netherlands’ matches during the current international window. He played the entire game against Germany before completing the full 90 minutes against Serbia.
His injury means he will miss the Netherlands’ upcoming Nations League fixture against Greece, with the Dutch side also scheduled to face Serbia again later in the international break. No replacement has been called up to the squad at this stage.
The setback is particularly significant for Tottenham because Van Hecke has quickly become an important part of Roberto De Zerbi’s defence since arriving from Brighton during the summer transfer window.
The defender previously worked with De Zerbi at Brighton, and Tottenham brought him to north London as one of the manager’s major additions. The club officially completed his signing in June 2026.
Van Hecke had established himself as a regular Netherlands international before joining Spurs and was selected for the country’s 2026 World Cup squad. His experience and ability to play out from the back have made him an important option for De Zerbi.
Tottenham will now closely monitor the defender’s condition to determine how serious the injury is and how long he could be unavailable.
The timing is also a concern because Spurs are scheduled to return to Premier League action against Manchester United on October 10. Van Hecke has been a regular starter for Tottenham, making his fitness an important issue for the club ahead of that fixture.
For now, Tottenham will wait for further medical assessments before a clearer recovery timeline can be established. The club will hope the problem is not serious enough to keep the Dutch defender out for an extended period.
