# Spurs Set to Come Back Swinging for Van Hecke – Brighton Braced for Round Two
The gloves are coming off at the Amex! Brighton are rubbing their hands together after watching Tottenham’s opening gambit fall well short of the mark, with sources close to the club confident that Ange Postecoglou’s side will be back with a beefed-up bid for their prized Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke. Spurs’ initial £70m offer has been sent back with a flea in its ear, leaving the Lilywhites to do some serious soul-searching about how much they’re willing to splash for the rock-solid centre-back.
Make no bones about it – Brighton aren’t about to roll over and accept Tottenham’s opening offer without a proper fight. The Seagulls know they’ve got a genuine gem on their hands with Van Hecke, a player who’s become absolutely integral to their Premier League survival bid. With a firm rejection already delivered, Spurs will need to dig considerably deeper into their coffers if they want to prise the 23-year-old away from the south coast.
This could shape up to be a proper transfer battle come the new year. Brighton’s stance is crystal clear: if you want our best player, you’ll have to cough up serious cash. Whether Tottenham come back with another £10m and some add-ons or go the whole hog remains to be seen, but one thing’s for certain – there’s plenty more drama to come in this transfer saga.