Roberto De Zerbi pushes ENIC to sign Jan Paul van Hecke as Tottenham start to panic

Roberto De Zerbi is the driving force behind Tottenham Hotspur's sustained push to sign Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.

That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Italian is currently in a position of power over the board in North London.

The 47-year-old arrived as the Lilywhites' saviour and kept them in the Premier League, and has already overseen a busy start to the summer.

Wyness believes that De Zerbi wants to see his desired targets come through the door "at any cost," and is now driving Spurs' pursuit of Van Hecke.

They have already seen two bids knocked back by Brighton since the end of the season, with the second offer understood to be worth £70million.

The Dutchman is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the Amex Stadium, but De Zerbi is determined to be reunited with the man that he used regularly during his time on the South Coast.

Tottenham battling with the 'masters of selling'

Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Tottenham board are "panicking" to meet De Zerbi's demands after he kept them in the league.

The Scottish businessman is in no doubt that the boss is in a "strong position" after achieving his remit of survival, and feels that he is the driving force behind the bids for Van Hecke.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness was keen to warn that Tottenham are dealing with the "masters of selling" in Brighton.

"It's obvious that De Zerbi has a connection with the player; he knows him from his time at Brighton," Wyness said.

"There's only one year left on Van Hecke's contract, and Brighton are the masters of selling. We've seen them do it with Chelsea as well, getting a lot of money in.

"It just seems to me that Spurs are panicking slightly, and De Zerbi is in a strong position politically because he kept them up. He's pushing the owners to get the players he wants, and it seems to be at any cost."

Spurs already "expect" Cristian Romero departure

Former Spurs scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that Tottenham "expect" captain Cristian Romero to depart this summer.

The Argentine defender caused issues for Lilywhites throughout the campaign, and Brown believes that his former club's pursuit of Van Hecke is a clear indication that Romero will be allowed to leave.

He made it clear that the 28-year-old's "attitude and application" are seen as a "big problem" behind the scenes, and stressed that the club hierarchy feel "the time has come" for him to move on.

Romero has been heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid once again, and Brown is in no doubt that he won't be in a Spurs shirt next term.