Italy-bound former Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici is set to take up a similar role at Serie A strugglers Fiorentina following confirmation of his move away from Spurs. The 53-year-old's departure marks the culmination of weeks of speculation, with Spurs' management structure deemed resilient enough to withstand personnel changes.
Paratici's stint at Tottenham began on a consultancy basis after an appeal allowed him to act for the club despite being banned by Fifa for alleged financial malpractice during his time at Juventus. However, in mid-October, he returned to the North London side on a full-time basis, working alongside Johan Lange as part of Spurs' joint sporting director role.
The move is largely due to Paratici's desire to return to Italy, where his personal circumstances have shifted in recent times. This decision has been reinforced by Tottenham's own player movement - winger Manor Solomon switching from Villarreal to Fiorentina on loan at the beginning of January. When asked about Paratici's employment status during this transfer window, Spurs manager Thomas Frank was characteristically diplomatic, refusing to comment on his sporting director's activities.
Spurs' chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has now confirmed that Paratici will be leaving to return home, citing his desire to move back to Italy and join Fiorentina. The club has expressed gratitude for Paratici's contributions, but assured fans that its management structure is capable of handling personnel changes.
Paratici himself has spoken about his decision, thanking Spurs' board and Venkatesham for accommodating his wish to return to Italy and take up the role at Fiorentina. Despite leaving behind a club he had previously worked with as managing director of football between 2021 and 2023, Paratici is now set to apply his expertise in support of Fiorentina's efforts to avoid relegation from Serie A.
Paratici's stint at Tottenham began on a consultancy basis after an appeal allowed him to act for the club despite being banned by Fifa for alleged financial malpractice during his time at Juventus. However, in mid-October, he returned to the North London side on a full-time basis, working alongside Johan Lange as part of Spurs' joint sporting director role.
The move is largely due to Paratici's desire to return to Italy, where his personal circumstances have shifted in recent times. This decision has been reinforced by Tottenham's own player movement - winger Manor Solomon switching from Villarreal to Fiorentina on loan at the beginning of January. When asked about Paratici's employment status during this transfer window, Spurs manager Thomas Frank was characteristically diplomatic, refusing to comment on his sporting director's activities.
Spurs' chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has now confirmed that Paratici will be leaving to return home, citing his desire to move back to Italy and join Fiorentina. The club has expressed gratitude for Paratici's contributions, but assured fans that its management structure is capable of handling personnel changes.
Paratici himself has spoken about his decision, thanking Spurs' board and Venkatesham for accommodating his wish to return to Italy and take up the role at Fiorentina. Despite leaving behind a club he had previously worked with as managing director of football between 2021 and 2023, Paratici is now set to apply his expertise in support of Fiorentina's efforts to avoid relegation from Serie A.
I'm literally shook that Fabio Paratici is leaving Spurs!!! 
he was such a huge part of the team's growth and I loved how he'd keep it 100 with us about transfers and football stuff... anyway, this move makes total sense for him, Italy is his homeland and I get why he wants to go back... but it's sad that he's leaving behind a legacy he built 
still gotta respect the Spurs management though, they handled the situation so smooth like 
anyone else excited about the new era at Spurs? 
... like, he's been doing a good job or whatever. And it's not like Tottenham has any problems on the pitch right now 
️. I mean, they're doing alright, just struggling with the finances and stuff 
. I don't know, maybe Paratici just wants to go back home or something? 
He's been saying that for ages 
... but I guess it's true this time 
. The thing is, Spurs have said they'll be fine without him, so I'm a bit surprised 
. But hey, if Paratici thinks he can make a difference at Fiorentina, then good on him 
.
. it's like when our math teacher assigns us a new project and we gotta work on it individually, but still with the same team 
. But hey, at least he's finding a new gig in Italy, right? 
It's not like Tottenham is going to struggle without him or anything... they've got some young talent coming up through the ranks 
.
? I mean, one minute he's back on a consultancy basis, and the next thing you know, he's out again full-time. It's like they're playing a game of musical chairs with their sporting directors 
.
. And it's good that Tottenham is showing its appreciation for his contributions... even if it's not exactly the most transparent process 
!
. But, at the same time, it's a bit sad to see him go from Tottenham 
. I hope he does well at Fiorentina, they're definitely gonna need all the expertise he can bring 
.
. By losing him, they're giving away a competitive edge 
. I'm not saying Paratici was perfect, but he seemed to be doing alright for himself at Spurs 
. I hope they regroup and find someone who can fill the gap, or else this might end up costing them in the long run 
Meanwhile, Fabio Paratici is off to Fiorentina and I think he'll do a better job than Tottenham ever could've. Italy's his home now and he gets to apply his expertise in Serie A. The Spurs management structure must be really weak if they're just gonna let someone walk out the door like this 
. And can we talk about how much drama this transfer window has been? I mean, it's almost like Spurs were expecting Paratici to leave or something 
.
He was only supposed to be on a consultancy basis anyway... idk what the fuss is about. Anyway, Italy is calling his name and he's all like "I gotta go home"