The stats experts reveal Brighton's most impressive player this season

Jan Paul van Hecke continues to impress for Brighton this season.

The young Netherlands defender has been instrumental for Roberto De Zerbi’s team and forged a reliable central defensive partnership with skipper Lewis Dunk.

Van Hecke’s place in the team was far from certain at the start of the campaign with the likes of Joel Veltman, Adam Webster and £15m summer arrival Igor Julio all pushing for that spot alongside Dunk.

The 23-year-old has however enjoyed a fine breakthrough season in the Premier League and has made 38 appearances so far in all competitions, including the Premier League, the Europa League, FA Cup and the League Cup.

His performances have been a major positive for Brighton, in a campaign that has seen numerous injuries and patchy form to many of De Zerbi’s regulars. The defender, who joined Brighton for around £3m in 2020 from Dutch outfit NAC Breda is now an unlikely candidate for the club’s player of the season.

Van Hecke has adapted well to De Zerbi’s style and rivals his more senior teammates Dunk and Pascal Gross for the most passes out from the back. Van Hecke has 81 compared to Dunk with 84 and Gross with 83.

Van Hecke is though leading the way at Brighton and across the Premier League in carrying the ball forward. He has advanced an impressive 726 times and gained a total distance of 7135.5 metres, more than any player in the top flight. A sound bet for player of the season this year at the Amex Stadium.