'Nowhere near' - ex-Tottenham scout can't believe what he's heard about Jan Paul van Hecke

Ex-Tottenham scout Bryan King dismisses comparisons of Van Hecke to Bobby Moore and Stuart Pearce, saying the defender lacks their steel despite a solid display in Saturday's 1-0 loss to Leeds.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has criticized claims that Jan Paul van Hecke, who joined Spurs for £52 million from Brighton in the summer, is comparable to legendary defenders Bobby Moore and Stuart Pearce. Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, King said the pair "haven't got nowhere near the kind of steel that they had."

Van Hecke, 26, has improved in recent weeks after a slow start but still has much to prove as a Tottenham signing. On Saturday, despite a strong individual performance with eight clearances, two recoveries, a block and eight aerial duel wins, he could not prevent Spurs' 1-0 defeat to Leeds United. Noah Okafor's second-half goal proved decisive as Roberto De Zerbi's side suffered their first loss in four games.

King felt Leeds were the superior team and should have won by a larger margin, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin spurning chances. Van Hecke's passing was accurate, completing five long balls and 14 passes into the final third, but King's verdict suggests the defender still has significant ground to make up if he is to justify his transfer fee.