Tottenham Hotspur’s summer transfer window is careening off the rails, but I have what may be good news for you: Fabio Paratici is coming back to take the wheel! That’s according to Ben Jacobs, writing an EXCLUSIVE in (lol) talkSPORT.
So
we know Paratici’s story — the one time Director of Football at Juventus and then Tottenham, he was accused and later found guilty of financial malfeasance stemming from his time at the Old Lady involving the plusvalenza scandals during COVID. As a result, FIFA issued him an 18 month ban from football activities, during which Tottenham let him go and appointed Johan Lange as recruitment director. Paratici, meanwhile, hung around the fringes of the club as an “unofficial advisor.”
There were numerous reports that upon the conclusion of his football ban Paratici was set to return in a high-level role with either Spurs or another football club, but nothing official emerged. Now, according to Jacob, Paratici is expected to take charge of the recruitment efforts, beginning no later than October 1.
First things first — Ben Jacobs gets some things right, and gets other things wrong. His main claim as a journalist is that he tends to uncritically write up what agents tell him about player transfers, something that makes his record a little suspect and spotty. But not always incorrect!
If the rumors of Paratici’s return are accurate, and at this point we have no reason to think one way or the other about it, then it probably doesn’t mean much good for Lange’s future at the club. Despite signing two first team starters in Mohammed Kudus and Palhinha, the latter on loan, Spurs have had a number of embarrassing miscues and whiffs in the market, not all of which were the club’s fault. But it’s clear that the club’s ability to effectively close their priority targets has taken a significant hit this window.
To be clear, we don’t yet know what this means for Lange (or even if it’s accurate!). If it happens, Paratici would be taking the wheel and leading the overall recruitment direction, but it’s as possible that Lange stays on in some capacity as it is that he gets demoted or leaves the club entirely. That said if this transfer window stays as it is now for Tottenham without any additional high-profile signings, then a change in overall strategy is desperately needed, even if it means rolling back the clock to 2023 and cocking the Don Fabio Scattergun one more time.
