Tottenham braced for approach from Fiorentina for sporting director Fabio Paratici

Fiorentina expect Fabio Paratici to join them as their new director of football and are planning to make an approach to Tottenham.

Daily Mail Sport reported on Sunday night that Spurs had not yet had been contacted by the Serie A side after strong reports in Italy claimed Paratici was poised to accept a five-year deal from the club bottom of Serie A to become their director of football.

But that approach is expected to come imminently, with Fiorentina confident they can prise the football executive away from North London.  

Tottenham stood by Paratici, 53, through the embarrassment of a worldwide ban from FIFA for his part in a financial scandal during his time at Juventus.

Paratici was sidelined two years into his role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April 2023, and served a 30-month ban that was initially handed out by the Italian football federation, before it was extended worldwide by FIFA. 

The Italian remained a visible figure in a consultancy role in North London and was reappointed as a sporting director in October when the expiry of his ban freed him to return to a formal role at the club.

Spurs also have Johan Lange in a sporting director role. 

‘Together, Fabio and Johan will lead with purpose,’ said chief executive Vinai Venkatesham upon Paratici’s reappointment. 

‘This is an evolution in how we operate. We’re setting the foundations for sustained success.’

If Paratici does depart just two months later, it will not look good for Venkatesham, and it will also be a serious blow to Spurs’ transfer plans in the January market if their senior recruitment expert was to leave with the transfer window about to open.

Fiorentina, cut adrift at the bottom of Serie A with only nine points from their first 16 games, picked up a shock 5-1 win at home to Udinese on Sunday, their first league victory of the season. 

Their previous sporting director, Daniele Prade, departed the club by mutual consent last month.