The Dutchman missed the 4-2 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday as Brighton lost their first game of the season and as the club prepare for another London fight against Tottenham, he spoke to ESPN.nl about how disappointed he is to miss the game.
“We have to wait and see how the rehabilitation goes, but in principle it is six weeks. I feel like I am slightly ahead of schedule. I hope that it will go a bit faster and that I can rejoin sooner.”
"It's a shame and I'm disappointed that I had to sustain this injury at this time, but injuries never come at a good time.
"You have to learn to deal with it. I'm going to make sure I'm back as soon as possible."
Manager Fabian Hurzeler said his team lacked “connection” at Stamford Bridge but added: “It shouldn’t be an excuse” after van Hecke watched from the sidelines.
Albion will have to rely on the Brazilian Igor who performed well against Chelsea and against Wolverhampton Wanderers in last week's EFL Cup clash. Hurzeler’s side will be looking to bounce back against Spurs as they aim to leapfrog the North London side on the table.