Fiorentina has approached Fabio Paratici, co-sporting director at Tottenham Hotspur, about a potential return to Italian football. This unexpected development comes just over two months after Paratici officially resumed his role at Tottenham in October 2023. While Fiorentina has not yet contacted Spurs directly regarding Paratici, sources indicate that the Serie A club has made an offer for him to oversee their football operations.
Paratici’s reappointment at Tottenham followed the conclusion of a 30-month ban from football activities. He initially served as the club’s managing director of football from June 2021, a position he held after being appointed by former Executive Chairman Daniel Levy. His suspension stemmed from accusations of financial malpractice during his tenure at Juventus, specifically related to the inflation of transfer fees for accounting purposes. In March 2023, FIFA extended his ban globally.
After resigning from Tottenham in April 2023 due to the rejection of his appeal regarding the ban, Paratici transitioned to a consultancy role, advising Levy on transfers. Earlier this year, he engaged in discussions with AC Milan before they appointed Igli Tare as sporting director in May. His current situation arises as Fiorentina seeks a replacement for former sporting director Daniele Prade, who left the club by mutual agreement in November 2023 following a poor start to the season. Fiorentina currently sits at the bottom of Serie A, winless in 15 matches and eight points adrift of safety.
Paratici’s potential return to Fiorentina adds to the ongoing changes at Tottenham, which have included the appointment of Vinai Venkatesham as CEO in April and the hiring of Thomas Frank as head coach this summer. Additionally, long-serving executive Donna-Maria Cullen stepped down from her position on the board, and Levy was removed as chairman after 24 years in the role.
Paratici’s previous experience as Juventus’ sporting director, where he spent 11 years and led the club through a highly successful period, further emphasizes his qualifications. Under his leadership, Juventus claimed nine Serie A titles and reached the Champions League final twice.
The interest from Fiorentina comes as the January transfer window approaches, a crucial period for Tottenham. Paratici’s role was expected to leverage his extensive network and transfer market expertise to enhance the squad, similar to his successful signings of players like Cristian Romero, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Dejan Kulusevski during his first tenure at the club.
As the situation develops, all eyes will be on how Tottenham responds to Fiorentina’s approach and whether Paratici will remain in his current role or make a move back to Italy. The club’s performance this season, currently positioned 13th in the Premier League, underscores the urgency for strategic improvements.
