AN ALBION defender has received his first ever international call-up.

Jan Paul van Hecke, who is on loan at Blackburn Rovers, has been named in the provisional Netherlands Under-21 squad for their upcoming European Championships qualifiers.

The squad will be trimmed down to 23 players ahead of games against Bulgaria and Switzerland later this month.

The Netherlands are currently second in Group E - three points behind leaders Switzerland with a game in hand.

The 21-year-old joined Brighton and Hove Albion on a three-year deal in September 2020.

The Argus: Jan Paul van Hecke, who is on loan at Blackburn Rovers Jan Paul van Hecke, who is on loan at Blackburn Rovers

The same month, he returned to the Netherlands on a season-long loan with Eredivisie side Heerenveen.

In August 2021, he joined Championship Blackburn Rovers on loan – making his debut in a 2–2 home draw against Coventry City in October that year.

He was sent off for a reckless challenge on Harry Wilson on his fifth appearance with Rovers in a 7–0 defeat at home to Fulham in November 2021.

Van Hecke scored his first goal in English football in a 2–0 away win at Bournemouth on December 11.

After joining Blackburn, Albion’s pathway development manager David Weir said: “The plan was to get him game time, and this loan provides a great opportunity for him to play regularly in the Championship and that is ideal at this stage of his development.”

Van Hecke is also the nephew of the Dutch retired footballer Jan Poortvliet.