Tottenham Defender Leaves Netherlands Camp After Training Injury
Tottenham have been handed an injury concern after Jan Paul van Hecke was forced to leave the Netherlands squad following an issue picked up during training.
The 26-year-old defender had been selected by new Netherlands boss Xavi and featured in the team’s recent Nations League matches against Germany and Serbia.
Van Hecke started both games, helping the Dutch side secure a 1–1 draw with Germany before playing in their 2–1 victory over Serbia.
However, his international break has now been cut short after he suffered an injury during Wednesday’s training session. Reports from the Netherlands suggest the Spurs defender managed only around seven minutes of the session before withdrawing.
The Dutch Football Association subsequently confirmed that Van Hecke would not travel with the squad for their upcoming fixture against Greece and would instead return to Tottenham for further assessment.
The Netherlands posted: “Jan Paul van Hecke won’t travel to Thessaloniki with the squad. The defender got injured during the away game against Serbia and will return to Tottenham Hotspur.”
Tottenham will now wait to discover the severity of the injury, with Van Hecke having established himself as an important part of Roberto De Zerbi’s team since arriving in the summer.
The centre-back joined Spurs from Brighton in a reported £52 million deal and was reunited with De Zerbi, who previously worked with him at Brighton.
Van Hecke has featured for every minute of Tottenham’s opening five Premier League matches this season and even scored his first goal for the club in their recent 3–2 defeat against Aston Villa.
Despite his regular involvement, Tottenham have endured a difficult beginning to the campaign. De Zerbi’s side currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table with only two points and are still waiting for their first league victory.
Van Hecke has also faced criticism following his performances, particularly after struggling against Nicolas Jackson during the defeat to Villa.
With Tottenham’s next Premier League fixture coming against Manchester United at Old Trafford on October 10, the club will be hoping Van Hecke recovers quickly and is available after the international break.
