Blackburn Rovers have signed Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke on a season-long loan.

The 21-year-old centre-back has yet to make a first team appearance for Albion - whom he joined in September last year from NAC Breda on a three-year deal.

He was on loan at Dutch side Heerenveen last season where he played 28 times.

He is Rovers' third loan signing from the Premier League this summer after Liverpool's Leighton Clarkson and Ian Poveda from Leeds United.

"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," Brighton's pathway development manager David Weir told the club website.

"After a good year in the Dutch league with Heerenveen, this will give him the chance to get his first experience of English football at a very good level."