Tottenham Hotspur are expected to face strong competition in their pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke, with two other Premier League clubs also interested in the defender.Tottenham Hotspur look to be wasting no time, as the Lewis Family look to back their recent promise of significant investment in the Tottenham first-team squad with action.Consecutive 17th-place finishes in the Premier League, with last season seeing Spurs escape relegation by the narrowest of margins by just two points, have sparked the need for major changes on the pitch.Tottenham look to be moving with purpose this summer and are expecting the arrivals of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi at the end of June, having agreed pre-contract deals with the pair.Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty ImagesTottenham face Chelsea and Liverpool competition for Jan Paul van HeckeEfforts to strengthen the defence have not stopped, with the latest reports stating that Tottenham have submitted a bid to sign Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.The Dutchman, who played 36 games for the Seagulls last season, has just 12 months left on his current contract, making him one of the sought-after centre-backs this summer.Spurs have made the first move to secure his signature, but The Telegraph has now reported that both Chelsea and Liverpool are also in the race for the 25-year-old.Tottenham’s initial bid was rejected by Brighton, but it is explained that negotiations remain ongoing as both sides look to reach an agreement.Spurs defensive issues could force a major reshuffleShould Van Hecke secure a move to Tottenham, it could lead to a major reshuffle in the Spurs backline next season.Spurs conceded a whopping 57 goals last campaign, with only West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley conceding more.Van Hecke’s addition should improve things, as he was part of the third-best defensive side in the league last campaign, with Brighton conceding the third-fewest goals, behind only Arsenal and Manchester City.The Dutch centre-back will arrive wanting to become a first-team regular, and that could hint at Romero potentially leaving N17. The Argentine has been subject to significant transfer speculation, with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid all keen on securing Romero’s signature.For the first time since 2023, the Romero and Micky van de Ven centre-back partnership could well come to an end.SeasonGoals conceded2023/24612024/25652025/2657Total183Tottenham’s defensive record since Romero and van de Ven became their starting centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have missed significant periods together through injury during the past three seasons, although Tottenham’s defensive record has remained a major concern throughout that stretch.READ MORE: ‘We’re gonna regret this’ – Man City fans react to idea of Savinho joining TottenhamThe post Tottenham will not have a free run at Jan Paul van Hecke as two rivals wait in the wings appeared first on Spurs Web.