Fabio Paratici to leave Tottenham Hotspur for Fiorentina
Tottenham Hotspur’s joint sporting director, Fabio Paratici, is poised to depart the club once the January transfer window concludes. The 53-year-old is set to take charge of football operations at Serie A strugglers Fiorentina, reports BritPanorama.
Paratici will remain at Spurs until the window shuts on February 2 at 7pm before returning to his homeland. Personal reasons are understood to have influenced his decision to leave north London so soon after resuming his duties at the club.
Tottenham have declined to comment on the anticipated move, though reports emerged last month suggesting Fiorentina had tabled a long-term contract offer. Paratici’s departure comes merely four months after he officially resumed his position at the club in October, following the conclusion of a 30-month worldwide ban imposed by FIFA.
The former Juventus chief was among 11 executives prohibited from Italian football after accusations of financial malpractice, with the suspension later extended globally in March 2023. His involvement concerned the alleged inflation of transfer fees for accounting purposes during his time at Juventus, though he was neither a board member nor responsible for accounting matters at the club.
Paratici has consistently maintained that he acted within the rules throughout his tenure. He had been forced to resign from Spurs in April 2023 after his appeal against the ban was rejected by Italy’s highest sports court, though he subsequently worked in a consultancy capacity advising the club on transfers.
At Tottenham, Paratici shared the role of sporting director with Johan Lange, overseeing the men’s football strategy encompassing performance development, scouting, and recruitment. The Italian has been involved in what is expected to be Spurs’ first signing of the winter window, with the club agreeing a fee with Santos for Brazilian teenage left-back Souza.
Head coach Thomas Frank referenced Paratici earlier this week when discussing internal alignment, saying: “The biggest thing is that let’s say Johan, Fabio, Vinai and I are aligned. That’s the biggest thing and then we also aligned with the ownership.” Fiorentina currently languish in 18th position in Serie A, having managed just two victories from 20 league matches this campaign, following the departure of sporting director Daniele Prade by mutual consent in November.
Paratici’s exit represents the latest significant change at Spurs during a turbulent period that has seen Daniel Levy removed as chairman after 24 years, Vinai Venkatesham appointed as chief executive, and Thomas Frank installed as head coach following Ange Postecoglou’s departure.
Amidst this evolving backdrop, Tottenham faces the challenge of continuity under renewed leadership while looking to solidify their strategy ahead of the winter window’s conclusion.
