It turns out that arguably the best manager in modern history is a big fan of Jan Paul Van Hecke, who Tottenham Hotspur are now working to sign from Brighton.Spurs and Brighton are locked in negotiations over a deal for Van Hecke after the Seagulls turned down the Lilywhites’ opening offer for the centre-back.While the deal is not done just yet, reports indicate that the 25-year-old is very keen on reuniting with Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham.The Dutchman has been extremely consistent for the Seagulls over the last four years, and he can count the greatest Premier League manager of all-time as a fan.Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty ImagesWhat Pep Guardiola said about Tottenham target Jan Paul Van Hecke two years agoAfter Brighton came from behind to beat Man City 2-1 in November of 2024, Guardiola was seen having an animated chat with the Seagulls centre-back on the pitch.The former Man City boss showered praise on Van Hecke when asked about his performance after the game.When asked what he thought of the Netherlands international, Guardiola said (via Sussex World): “Really good, how he linked inside. The players really stepped up a lot with the short passes.“All the steps they can do. There are many good things with this club [Brighton]. Of course Fabian [Hurzeler] has added his own things. How he [Van Hecke] linked inside he was aggressive, It was very very good.”When asked what he said to Van Hecke after the final whistle, the Spanish coach responded: “That he [Van Hecke] was strong with Erling and when Erling then stands up, you have to stand up, he cannot go to the grass. Stay strong, no? You pull him all the game then after the fight you stay there. But he played a really good game and congratulations to Brighton.”Ronald Koeman identifies Van Hecke’s best qualityAnother legend of the game, Ronald Koeman, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands, is also a fan of the Tottenham target.The 25-year-old has won 10 caps for his country over the past couple of years, and Koeman previously explained that the Brighton man’s build-up play from the back sets him apart from the other centre-backs at his disposal.When asked why he started Van Hecke for a clash against Hungary, the Dutch boss said (via Football.London): “Why did I choose Van Hecke? Well, you generally assume that Hungary will do the same as in the previous game.“They will drop far back and keep the spaces small. That is why it is important to have a good build-up of reverse, and Van Hecke’s very good at that. Of course, it also has to do with how he plays at his club. If you have many good central defenders, you can also do something else to decide on details.”READ MORE: Tottenham bid for Jan Paul van Hecke tells us a lot about Cristian Romero price tagThe post Pep Guardiola’s Jan Paul van Hecke comments tell Tottenham exactly what to expect appeared first on Spurs Web.