Justin Kluivert, Micky Van de Ven react to Jan Paul van Hecke’s Brighton update
Jan Paul van Hecke has taken to social media to react to the latest update on his situation at Brighton, prompting a response from several other Premier League stars.
The centre-back joined the Seagulls in 2020, and after loans with Heerenveen and Blackburn Rovers in the next two seasons, began to establish himself at the AMEX.
This season has seen Van Hecke become a key player for Brighton with a number of impressive performances for Fabian Hurzeler’s side.
In doing so, the Dutchman has helped the club to mount another push for qualification to Europe during the current campaign.
Now Van Hecke has been given some fresh and significant recognition for his efforts with the club during this season.
Jan Paul van Hecke sweeps club awards
With the campaign now coming towards its conclusion, many clubs are holding their end of season awards events.
Brighton would do just that on Wednesday (7 May), where it would turn into a productive evening for Van Hecke.
The centre-back was named as Player of the Year among both the supporters and players at the AMEX Stadium, in a glowing reflection of his performances over the past nine months.
| Jan Paul van Hecke 2024/25 Premier League stats | Total (SofaScore) |
| Appearances | 31 |
| Pass Success Rate | 88% |
| Tackles per Game | 1.3 |
| Clearances per Game | 4.2 |
| Interceptions per Game | 0.7 |
| Duel Success Rate | 59% |
After Van Hecke took to Instagram to react to his success, revealing his pride at winning those awards and playing for the club, as well as thanking his supporters and teammates.
Several other Dutch Premier League players then showed their support, with Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven and Bournemouth attacker Justin Kluivert both commenting on that post with flame emojis.
Meanwhile, Liverpool attacker Cody Gakpo was another to give Van Hecke his backing by liking that post from the Brighton star.
Brighton must keep Jan Paul van Hecke
Football Insider Verdict
These awards are well deserved for Van Hecke, who has been excellent for the vast majority of this season for Hurzeler’s side.
This now highlights how important it is for them to keep him long-term, with two years remaining on his current contract at the AMEX.
If he stays for an extended period it seems he has the potential to fill the shoes of Lewis Dunk, who at 33 and with a year left on his contract may be approaching the end of his time at the club.
Van Hecke though is surely going to start attracting attention with his performances sooner rather than later, meaning the Seagulls may want to act fast to tie him down to a new contract.
Indeed, there will be speculation around his teammates, and Football Insider understands Carlos Baleba is attracting interest from Liverpool.
As a result retaining other key players such as Van Hecke would be a major boost for Brighton when looking to the future.