Fabio Paratici Returns as Tottenham Hotspur's Sporting Director
Tottenham Hotspur has announced the return of Fabio Paratici as sporting director, two and a half years after his ban by FIFA.
According to BBC Sport, discussions regarding Paratici's potential comeback had been underway since May.
In his role, Paratici will serve as joint sporting director alongside Johan Lange, overseeing the club's men's football strategy, which includes performance development, scouting, and recruitment.
Paratici resigned from his position in April 2023 after Italy's highest sports court rejected his appeal against a 30-month FIFA ban for financial irregularities.
The ban stemmed from his time at Juventus, where he held the positions of sporting director and managing director before joining Tottenham in 2021. Juventus was found guilty of false accounting, resulting in a 10-point deduction in Serie A.
Last month, a judge in Rome accepted a plea bargain request from Paratici and several former Juventus executives, allowing him to avoid an 18-month prison sentence. It's important to note that plea deals in Italy do not imply an admission of guilt or acceptance of liability.
"I am delighted to be returning to a club that I love," Paratici stated. "I have been working with Johan, Vinai [Venkatesham], and Thomas [Frank] as a consultant for several months, and I now look forward to returning to London and joining the team full-time. I am convinced that, by partnering with Johan, we can build a special future for the club and our supporters."
Tottenham plans to finalize their leadership structure by hiring a director of football operations to collaborate with Paratici and Lange. In the meantime, the club's women's team will continue to be directly managed by Venkatesham.