Tottenham have suffered a major blow as key defender Jan Paul van Hecke has suffered an injury while playing for the Netherlands during the international break.

The £52 million summer signing was forced to withdraw from the Oranje squad and has returned to London for further medical assessment.

Jan Paul van Hecke suffers injury in Tottenham blow

Van Hecke sustained a painful foot injury during the Netherlands’ 2-1 UEFA Nations League victory against Serbia after an opponent stepped on him during the match.

Although he managed to complete the 90 minutes, severe discomfort set in shortly afterward, leaving him unable to kick a ball in subsequent training sessions.

Dutch head coach Xavi Hernandez confirmed the defender’s withdrawal, stating that Van Hecke tried to participate in light recovery work but was in too much pain to continue.

The 26-year-old center-back has now returned to Hotspur Way, leaving Spurs’ medical team sweating on his availability ahead of a vital return to domestic action.

Spurs have made a horrible start to the new season and van Hecke injury adds to concern

The timing of Van Hecke’s injury creates a massive headache for manager Roberto De Zerbi, who reunited with the defender in North London following their successful spell together at Brighton.

Tottenham have endured a miserable start to the 2026–27 Premier League campaign, sitting bottom of the table after failing to win any of their opening five matches (two draws, three losses). Despite Spurs’ overall defensive struggles,

Van Hecke has been one of the few consistent figures, starting every league fixture and even scoring his first goal for the club in their recent 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa.

With a crucial trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford coming up immediately after the international break, losing their defensive mainstay would severely hamper De Zerbi’s plans as he searches for a urgent turnaround in form.