‘Incredibly poor’ – £52m Tottenham star blasted for taking club form into the national break

Tottenham defender Jan Paul van Hecke faced severe criticism following his performance in the Netherlands' 1-1 Nations League draw against Germany in Amsterdam. Despite recording multiple defensive actions alongside Virgil van Dijk, pundit Kenneth Perez labeled the 26-year-old as "incredibly poor" on ESPN and urged new manager Xavi to replace him with Arsenal's Jurrien Timber when fit.

The scrutiny comes amid broader questions regarding Tottenham's summer business, including Van Hecke's inconsistent form after arriving as Luka Vuskovic moved to Brighton. Journalist Alasdair Gold suggested that Tottenham's choice to offload the 19-year-old Croatian defender, who recently helped Brighton beat Arsenal 3-0, looks increasingly questionable despite the reported £50m fee involved.